No need to set up tribunal to investigate Ian Chin's alleged misconduct - Zaid

KOTA BAHARU: There is no need to set up a tribunal to investigate into Justice Datuk Ian Chin's alleged breaches of judicial code of ethics as the government believes the allegations had no basis.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said if former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or others had proofs of Chin's alleged misconduct, they could report the matter to the police or to the chief justice.

"The government cannot be setting up a tribunal every now and then just because someone says it should do so," he told reporters after opening the 40th annual delegates' meeting of the Malaysian Ex-Servicemen Association, Saturday.

On Thursday Dr Mahathir questioned the government whether it would set up a tribunal to investigate into Chin's alleged misconduct.

Dr Mahathir claimed that while Chin revealed on June 10 that judges were threatened and sent to boot camps by the former prime minister, he did not reveal that there was a police report against him for alleged breaches of judicial code of ethics for having heard a case in which he had a personal interest.

Zaid said for the record, Chin had discharged his duties well.

The government, he said, had no intention of interfering into the problems between the judge and the former prime minister.

Meanwhile, Zaid, the de-facto law minister, urged all parties to stop demanding that the government reveal the amount of ex-gratia payments which had been made to six former judges who were either sacked or suspended during the 1988 judicial crisis.

He said the government had to respect the wishes of the recipients and their family members that the amount be kept private.

"Besides, it was the government which suggested the payment. Let us put the issue to rest as the government wants to settle the matter amicably," he said.

The goodwill ex-gratia payment was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on April 18.

The government made the last and final payment on June 20 to former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas who were sacked during the crisis along with Supreme Court Judges Datuk Seri George Seah and Tan Sri Wan Hamzah Mohamed Salleh.

Three others were suspended for three months namely Supreme Court Judges Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin, Tan Sri Eusoffe Abdoolcader and Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh.

Bernama
29/06/08