00:00I speak today as the outgoing Chief Justice of Malaysia.
00:07My colleagues and I have, in at least one part of our judicial careers, faced these
00:14challenges.
00:15Additionally, as Chief Justice, I have carried the burden, image, and overall responsibilities
00:22of the judiciary for almost six years.
00:25And what a task it has been.
00:28One that I do not envy the next person who should carry it.
00:33As Chief Justice, I have been criticised, vilified, been labelled an Islamic or an enemy
00:39of Islam.
00:40My husband, unfairly so, has been used against me in some applications to not only have me
00:47recused, but more generally, to embarrass me and my colleagues.
00:52None of them have or ever will pass the test of my conscience.
00:58And praise be to Allah, I have not once lost sleep over these comments.
01:04When I was appointed the first female Chief Justice of Malaysia, someone asked me, what
01:10would you do if the Executive or any other influential party demands that you decide
01:17a case in a certain way?
01:20What would you do if history were to repeat itself?
01:24You are faced with requests to appoint certain persons as judges, or make decisions that
01:31you know to be wrong in law, but right for the party with a vested interest.
01:37Before I answer the question, let me stress this.
01:41A judge, whether male or female, must always decide justly, fairly, and objectively.
01:50I am happy to share with you today what my answer to that long question was, and still
01:56remains till today.
01:58It is this.
01:59I am here to do my job.
02:01I never coveted for it, but by the grace of Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, I was entrusted
02:09to lead the judiciary.
02:11It is an extremely intimidating position to hold, but upon accepting the appointment,
02:18I am fully committed to doing it properly.
02:22I will not bend or bow to any person, no matter how high and mighty, to do what he or she
02:30demands of me.
02:31I always intend on fulfilling my oath of office, especially in ensuring the Constitution reigns
02:39supreme, and I am guided by no other considerations than the law and the facts of any case within
02:48the bounds of judicially established principles.
02:52In the soon-to-be six years within which I have served as Chief Justice, I have held
02:58firmly to the belief that what needs to be improved shall be improved, and what does
03:03not need to change shall remain.
03:07I do not believe that each time a person takes office, they have to override or cancel past
03:13policies that have proved useful for the sake of doing so.
03:18In this regard, I have retained whatever policies that were left behind at the time I took over
03:25that enhanced the judicial institution.
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