.JPG "Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad delivers a speech at the Ministry of Defence in Kuala Lumpur February 21, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Ahmad Zamzahurinn")
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today confirmed the government has agreed to form a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to look into allegations of misconduct by some judges.
In an affidavit filed February 14, Court of Appeal judge Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer had made explosive claims that some members of the judiciary had worked with political proxies to cheat the government.
“Yes, we are setting up the RCI and we will leave it to them to look into the allegations made by the judge,” the prime minister told reporters after a function at the Defence Ministry here.
He added that the government has yet to decide on the term and conditions of the RCI and how far back the inquiry should cover when asked.
“We haven’t decided on that yet and the terms will be decided later,” he said.
In his affidavit, Hamid claim a conspiracy that nominees of certain politicians created contracts with the government where the government later failed to adhere to the contract.
It was said that the private parties would then claim compensation from the government in court.
Hamid had called for a royal inquiry into the issue.
However, he was reported by news portal Malaysiakini last Monday to have refused to have his statement recorded by the Malaysia Anti-Corporation Commission when they visited him in his chambers.
Lawyers Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla and Joy Appukuttan for Hamid said their client will only speak to a special task force when the RCI is formed.
