The prime minister’s involvement in appointing judges is not to control the judiciary but to keep the government informed about developments within the judicial institution, according to a constitutional expert.

Associate Professor Shamrahayu Ab Aziz said the prime minister’s role in advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the appointment of judges is enshrined in Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, a provision that has been in place since 1957.

“I believe that one of the reasons the provision was made...