Malaysia’s Lawyers Walk 2.6 km to Defend Judicial Independence
- M.R Mishra
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
On July 14, 2025, Malaysia witnessed an extraordinary yet deeply dignified act of institutional dissent as over 1,000 lawyers marched in black and white from the Palace of Justice to the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya. Organized by the Malaysian Bar, the 2.6-kilometre “Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence” was not merely a symbolic gesture it was a constitutional plea.
The legal fraternity, often silent and restrained, chose collective visibility to remind the executive that judicial independence is not a matter of discretion, but a cornerstone of the rule of law.
Over 400 Malaysian lawyers marched 2.6km from the Palace of Justice to the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya, led by Bar president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab.
The walk protested judicial vacancies and interference, with a memorandum demanding swift judge appointments and a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
The walk culminated in the submission of a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, listing four urgent demands: the immediate filling of critical judicial vacancies, the release of minutes from the May 16 meeting of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into alleged executive interference in judicial matters, and structural reforms to ensure integrity in judicial selection.
These demands arise in the context of a disturbing constitutional limbo, with the Chief Justice and the President of the Court of Appeal having retired recently, and no successors yet appointed. In the absence of transparency and prompt action, apprehensions have intensified about whether the judiciary is being gradually politicised or undermined from within.
What makes this demonstration especially consequential is its unmistakable institutional tone. While politicians like PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar participated, the Malaysian Bar was unequivocal that the walk was apolitical, rooted in legal ethics and constitutional duty.
The presence of eminent legal figures such as former Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and former Bar Council presidents Ambiga Sreenevasan and Karen Cheah lent the event additional gravitas.
The demand to release the minutes of the May 16 JAC meeting stems from an explosive allegation that external actors attempted to influence judicial appointments.
If these claims bear any truth, they mark a dangerous departure from constitutional norms, undermining not just the legitimacy of current appointments, but shaking public confidence in future rulings.
This concern is not hypothetical; the consequences of a compromised judiciary ripple far beyond the courtroom, affecting investor confidence, civil liberties, and democratic stability.
What transpired in Putrajaya was not merely a march. It was a manifestation of the legal profession’s collective conscience. At a time when political polarisation threatens institutional coherence in many democracies,
Malaysia’s legal community has demonstrated that professional ethics and constitutional fidelity must prevail over convenience or fear.
The ball now lies squarely in the government’s court. How it responds to this carefully articulated protest will determine not only the trajectory of judicial reform, but also the public's enduring trust in the architecture of Malaysian democracy.
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