KUALA LUMPUR – Former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli, has stood firm on his position regarding the alleged internal pressures he faced while deciding a high-profile constitutional case in 2021, insisting that he is unafraid of any potential fallout from his revelation.
“I stand by what I said. I am not afraid of the consequences. I speak the truth,” Abdul Rahman told reporters after attending the swearing-in ceremony of 22 senior judges, including the new President of the Court of Appeal and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, at the Palace of Justice, as reported by local media.
In his farewell address last week, Abdul Rahman stirred the legal community by sharing the intense pressure he experienced within the judiciary during a case involving the federal government.
He recounted how he was urged to “toe the line” in a constitutional matter, adding that his draft judgment – which ultimately aligned with the majority decision in favour of the government – was harshly criticised by senior judicial figures.
“I was told to ‘toe the line’. My draft judgment was even labelled ‘hypocritical’. Yet, I stood firm,” Abdul Rahman said. He described receiving a critical email from a senior judge, accusing his views of being hypocritical and condescending.
Abdul Rahman revealed that, after circulating his judgment draft to the panel, he learned that a senior judge had planned to issue show-cause letters to him and two other judges who shared his views – a move that may have been a prelude to disciplinary action.
“Had that occurred, I might have faced the same fate as Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer,” he said, referencing the suspension of Hamid Sultan by the Judges’ Ethics Committee in February 2021 over complaints regarding his involvement in a high-profile case.
The issue was raised by Abdul Rahman during his retirement speech in Kuching, where he reflected on his tenure.
“Peer pressure can be overwhelming within the judiciary, particularly from those in higher positions,” he added.
The swearing-in ceremony also saw the appointment of several other senior judges, including the new President of the Court of Appeal, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais, and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Datuk Azizah Nawawi. The event included the promotion of six High Court judges to the Court of Appeal, and the confirmation of 14 judicial commissioners as High Court judges.
Earlier today, former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat firmly rejected any suggestions of external or internal pressure influencing judicial decisions. She pointed to her own record during her tenure, which included dissenting in five out of 19 constitutional cases decided by the Federal Court, as proof of the judiciary’s autonomy.
“If I had any influence on their decisions, I would not have dissented in five out of 19 cases, especially those involving constitutional law,” Tengku Maimun said, speaking after the ceremony for new judicial appointments.
Tengku Maimun, who retired earlier this month after a historic six-year tenure as Malaysia’s first female Chief Justice, emphasised that judges make decisions independently, free from both internal and external pressures.
Meanwhile, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) adviser N. Surendran sharply criticised Abdul Rahman’s claims, calling them “plainly wrong” and “incomprehensible.”
He questioned the logic of judicial interference, especially when the judge allegedly involved in the interference was part of the same panel.
“How can a judge interfere in a case she herself was involved in deciding?” Surendran said.
Abdul Rahman’s remarks continue to spark discussions within Malaysia’s legal community, while former Chief Justice Tengku Maimun remains resolute in her defence of the judiciary’s independence. — July 28, 2025