KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — An alleged excerpt of a Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting minutes from May has been leaked on social media.
The excerpts, which appear to have originated on Reddit, are now circulating on Facebook and X.
The minutes, which are classified, appear to contain allegations similar to those in a leaked police report lodged on behalf of a senior judge in June.
“Madness! If this document is true...” Public Accounts Committee chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said on Facebook.
The police report was made after Malaysiakini contacted the judge on June 12 seeking comment on allegations that the judge was accused of judicial interference during a JAC meeting in May.
Mas Ermieyati, who is also the Masjid Tanah MP, said while it is unknown whether the leaked document is real or fake, it carries very serious allegations.
“The government must answer and an investigation must be launched,” she urged.
The allegations against the senior judge, as well as concerns about alleged interference in the appointment of judges after Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat retired as chief justice, have sparked outrage.
Last week, nine PKR lawmakers led by Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli called for a royal commission of inquiry as well as the Parliament Special Select Committee on reforms to probe the allegations.
Rafizi claimed that a scandal as bad as the VK Lingam judge-fixing episode may be in the making.
The Malaysian Bar will be marching on Monday to hand over a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim calling for an RCI among other demands.
Meanwhile, Anwar will meet with Pakatan Harapan MPs regarding the scandal on Monday as well.
The Attorney General’s Chambers has downplayed concerns about the judiciary, saying a comparison to the Lingam scandal was unwarranted.
It also said that the allegations against the senior judge were just pure speculation about “procedural irregularities”.