COMMENT | When Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat retires later this year after six years at the helm and doing much to restore the judiciary’s independence and credibility, it is up to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to ensure that continues by appointing a person of unimpeached credibility, ability and integrity.

Tengku Maimun herself emphasised this in an outstanding address at the opening of the legal year on Wednesday.

It was an education on some key constitutional issues and would be required reading for anyone who wants to be well-informed before having an opinion on many current legal issues.

Not only that, on the formation of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) in 2009 to appoint judges, she reminded that Anwar, in opposition at the time, said it did not go far enough to ensure judicial independence.

She opened with a reminder to...