PUTRAJAYA – “No one should be above accountability,” said PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar, as she joined hundreds of lawyers in a march today calling for stronger safeguards to protect judicial independence.
She said she took part in the Malaysian Bar’s rally because the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed under the Federal Constitution and supported by the prime minister.
“In the spirit of reform and justice that forms the foundation of PKR’s struggle, the government must strengthen existing structures to ensure greater transparency and accountability,” she said in a statement following her appearance.
She underlined the importance of the separation of powers, adding that an independent judiciary was crucial to check abuse by the executive or legislature.
“The judiciary, executive and legislature exist to balance one another. An independent judiciary prevents abuse of power by the government or cabinet, and must be free from interference – whether internal or external.”
Dressed in a purple baju kurung, Nurul Izzah was seen speaking with participants and taking photos with protesters holding signs that read “Defend judicial independence” and “Walk the talk, judicial independence”.
The presence of the daughter of PKR president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim marked a rare show of intra-party alignment with civil society demands.
She added that those appointed to the highest judicial offices must not only be professionally qualified, but also possess strong moral integrity.
Nurul Izzah also urged the government to investigate recent allegations of interference transparently and independently.
“These allegations must be thoroughly investigated. A tribunal under Article 125 of the Federal Constitution, consisting of at least five senior judges, can be formed to undertake the task,” she said, adding that this would help restore public trust in the institution.
Her appearance drew praise from former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister, and former PKR vice president, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who said the party must remain open to internal criticism and focus on substantive reform.
“Alhamdulillah, PKR celebrates diverse views and is open to criticism. I hope branch leaders will sign the petition demanding an open and independent investigation into the judiciary issue, instead of wasting time trying to suspend nine PKR MPs,” he wrote on X, sharing a photo of Nurul Izzah at the protest.
His remarks came in response to calls for disciplinary action against nine PKR MPs – including himself, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, Sim Tze Tzin, Hassan Abdul Karim, Rodziah Ismail, Azmizam Zaman Huri, S Kesavan, Tan Yee Kew and Dr Halimah Ali – after they signed a petition urging the government to establish a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into alleged judicial interference.
The march, organised by the Malaysian Bar, began at the Palace of Justice and ended 2.5km away at the Prime Minister’s Office, where representatives submitted a memorandum with four key demands:
– Immediate appointments to fill top judicial vacancies;
– Public disclosure of recent Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting minutes;
– Formation of a royal commission of inquiry into alleged judicial interference; and
– Broader reforms to address structural gaps in judicial appointments.
The protest comes after the leak of alleged JAC meeting minutes from May, which allegedly support claims of interference involving a senior judge. There are also concerns that the government has yet to act on JAC recommendations made during Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s tenure as chief justice.
Anwar, who has denied any interference, is expected to meet Pakatan Harapan MPs later today at his official residence in Putrajaya to discuss the matter. – July 14, 2025