KUALA LUMPUR – Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim has warned that the group of nine PKR lawmakers pushing for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the judiciary must be prepared to bear full responsibility if their demands lead to the downfall of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration.
In a strongly worded statement, the veteran PKR backbencher said the call, led by former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, suggested that the group has effectively lost confidence in the leadership of Anwar, who is also the party’s president.
“Anwar Ibrahim, as prime minister, holds significant constitutional powers in the appointment of judges. If an RCI is formed, he will inevitably become a primary suspect and must be investigated,” Hassan said.
He added that such a move places the prime minister in a politically perilous position.
“What the nine MPs are doing now is akin to placing Anwar’s neck beneath the guillotine, as if this were the French Revolution,” he said.
Hassan stressed that an RCI can only be formed with the consent of the prime minister and the Cabinet. Without that approval, he warned, the push from the PKR bloc would only serve to further damage Anwar’s image and weaken the unity government.
The nine MPs – Rafizi, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), Wong Chen (Subang), Rodziah Ismail (Ampang), Zahir Hassan (Wangsa Maju), Datuk Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau), Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Ledang), S Kesavan (Sungai Siput), and Onn Abu Bakar (Batu Pahat) – have been vocal in demanding urgent action to address what they call a brewing constitutional crisis in the judiciary.
Rafizi, who recently lost his bid to retain the PKR deputy presidency to Nurul Izzah Anwar – the prime minister’s daughter – and resigned from Cabinet, had cited serious allegations regarding judicial appointments and attempts to interfere in case decisions.
While Hassan acknowledged that the group had raised a legitimate and meritorious issue, describing it as “the elephant in the room”, he questioned whether they had fully considered the long-term political and national implications.
“Their actions are progressive, radical, and popular with the public. But are they prepared to face the possibility of the Madani government collapsing as a result?” he asked.
He further suggested that their move represents an unprecedented internal revolt against Anwar, both as Prime Minister and as PKR president.
“This is direct resistance within the party, something that has never happened before,” he said.
Hassan also warned that Anwar now finds himself on the defensive, with his government appearing increasingly weak and lacking in integrity due to the judiciary crisis.
He urged the dissenting lawmakers to reflect on whether their campaign upholds the ideals of reformasi and serves the nation’s best interests, or whether it risks reducing PKR’s struggle to a matter of personal ambition.
“If the answer is yes – that this is about reform, and not about Anwar as an individual — then this is the most serious, fiercest, and bravest challenge ever posed by senior MPs to Anwar’s leadership,” he said.
He added that the move also reflects growing frustration among party leaders, who appear to have lost patience with what they see as excessive political compromises and apparent hypocrisy.
“Anwar must handle this wisely when he returns from his overseas visit. This is not a minor issue. It is extremely serious,” Hassan said, calling it a “buku bertemu ruas” moment – where two equally strong forces collide – within PKR.
Nonetheless, Hassan reaffirmed his personal support for Anwar and pledged to continue defending the Prime Minister and his government.
“I still believe in Anwar’s leadership and will stand by him and the Madani government,” he concluded.
Recently, Anwar has pushed back against accusations of interference, insisting that all judicial appointments and extensions follow procedures laid out in the Federal Constitution.
“There is a commission, a prime minister, and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong involved. New appointments are submitted to the king and then brought before the Conference of Rulers,” Anwar said during a monthly gathering at the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya.
Tensions over judicial independence have intensified over the retirement of Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who turned 66 – the mandatory retirement age. Calls from various quarters were made for her term, and those of Court of Appeal president Abang Iskandar and Federal Court judge Nallini Pathmanathan, to be extended.
Former deputy law minister Ramkarpal Singh was among those who urged the extensions to uphold institutional stability. Under the Federal Constitution, retired judges may serve up to six additional months with royal assent. – July 8, 2025