KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki today said that the continued silence displayed by Attorney General (AG) Tommy Thomas and Chief Justice (CJ) Tan Sri Richard Malanjum will only serve to fuel the perception that both men have disobeyed the Judges’ Code of Ethics 2009.
He said Thomas and Malanjum must explain themselves to the people whether dancing on stage during a social event for the legal fraternity was in line with the Code.
“Prominent lawyers who, in the past, have aggressively voiced their concerns over integrity and judges’ ethics, such as Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, have remained silent on the issue.
“Therefore, it is wise for them to come forward in a press conference and provide an explanation so that the integrity and judiciary’s independence in the country can be guaranteed. Continued silence to let the issue pass will only contribute to an unhealthy perception among the people,” he said in a statement here.
He said, to date, only Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders and the party’s supporters have attempted to defend both men’s actions.
“Many have also mistaken the stance taken by Umno Youth, by saying that we are against the dance ceremony, when the real issue is the perception and rakyat’s doubts towards the principle of the separation of power, ethics and the integrity of the judiciary,” he said.
The video that showed Thomas and Malanjum dancing was shot during a gala dinner on January 18 in Kota Kinabalu which was hosted by the Sabah Law Society in conjunction with the Opening of the Legal Year 2019.
