RCIs ineffective, no-confidence vote against PM better: Zaid
Published: Jul 7, 2025 2:47 PM
Updated: 4:56 PM
Summary
- Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim claims RCIs are ineffective, citing past inaction on findings.
- He says the investigations are political theatre and there is a clear pattern of prime ministers naming favourable RCI members along with selective action on recommendations.
- Zaid adds that a no-confidence vote or a motion to censure the PM in Parliament would be better.
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has shot down a proposed Royal Commission of Inquiry into allegations linked to the Judicial Appointment Commission (JAC), citing alleged inaction over findings of past RCIs.
Taking to X, Zaid thanked a group of nine PKR lawmakers led by former party deputy president Rafizi Ramli for suggesting an RCI but said it would be ineffective.
“While RCIs are supposed to be instruments of truth-finding and institutional reform, here they often serve as political theatre - a smoke screen for inaction, deflection, or delay.
“Take the RCI on Batu Puteh: grandly announced, then left to rot. No publication of findings, no follow-through, no accountability.
“Similarly, previous RCIs from Wang Kelian to judicial appointments became forgotten footnotes,” claimed Zaid.
The RCI report on sovereignty issues over Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks, and South Ledge tabled in the Dewan Rakyat last December, among others, stated that Malaysia has a fighting chance to overturn the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that Singapore has sovereignty over Batu Puteh.
Meanwhile, the 2019 RCI report on the Wang Kelian mass graves, based on discoveries of buried bodies believed to be of migrants, was declassified in 2022.
Zaid also claimed there is a “clear pattern” in which the prime minister will control the terms to appoint the commissioners, “often politically safe choices, and (later) cherry-picks which recommendations to ignore”.
“So yes, RCIs in Malaysia are not about justice; they’re totally ineffective,” he said.
‘No-confidence vote is better’
In making the call, Rafizi said an RCI could investigate issues beyond the scope of a tribunal as proposed by the Defend the Judiciary Secretariat under Article 125(3) of the Federal Constitution, which could only probe specific allegations of judicial interference by a senior judge.
The Pandan MP also expressed hope that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will accept any request to face a proposed Parliamentary Special Select Committee proceeding on issues surrounding judicial appointments.
Rafizi Ramli
Zahid, however, said: “I prefer a no-confidence vote or a motion to censure the PM as a better democratic mechanism.”
“Even if it fails, it forces a public debate in Parliament. Shows the PM he’s not untouchable and sends a message to the rakyat that someone is still willing to fight.
“It could curb the endless globetrotting and vanity diplomacy.
“Nothing gets a prime minister to take domestic affairs more seriously than the credible threat of losing office,” said Zaid.
‘Anwar must go’
Separately, Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali insisted that all issues raised by Rafizi and PKR backbenchers stemmed from Anwar’s alleged failures as prime minister.
Zahid, however, said: “I prefer a no-confidence vote or a motion to censure the PM as a better democratic mechanism.”
“Even if it fails, it forces a public debate in Parliament. Shows the PM he’s not untouchable and sends a message to the rakyat that someone is still willing to fight.
“It could curb the endless globetrotting and vanity diplomacy.
“Nothing gets a prime minister to take domestic affairs more seriously than the credible threat of losing office,” said Zaid.
‘Anwar must go’
Separately, Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali insisted that all issues raised by Rafizi and PKR backbenchers stemmed from Anwar’s alleged failures as prime minister.
Rafique Rashid Ali
“Personally, I welcome the efforts by Rafizi and his friends earlier during the press conference.
“But they need to understand one thing: Anwar is the root cause,” claimed the lawyer, who is also Defend the Judiciary Secretariat spokesperson.
“There is no choice but to demand that Anwar resign. That is the only way to save this country’s institutions.
“Do Rafizi and his eight other colleagues have the courage to do so?” said Rafique in a statement.
Earlier today, opposition leaders urged Anwar, who is now in Brazil leading a delegation of ministers across several countries, to immediately return and address the grave allegations of executive interference in the judiciary.
“Personally, I welcome the efforts by Rafizi and his friends earlier during the press conference.
“But they need to understand one thing: Anwar is the root cause,” claimed the lawyer, who is also Defend the Judiciary Secretariat spokesperson.
“There is no choice but to demand that Anwar resign. That is the only way to save this country’s institutions.
“Do Rafizi and his eight other colleagues have the courage to do so?” said Rafique in a statement.
Earlier today, opposition leaders urged Anwar, who is now in Brazil leading a delegation of ministers across several countries, to immediately return and address the grave allegations of executive interference in the judiciary.
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kt comments:
Pejuang's Rafique Rashid Ali has already pronounced the findings of the RCI, to wit, the root cause of allegations linked to the Judicial Appointment Commission (JAC) is none other than Anwar Ibrahim, wakakaka. Just ignore the fact he is from Pejuang (a political party formed by Mahathir and still administered by his boy-boy).
From my recollections, the British standards for forming a RCI is that its findings must be decided upon by the powers-that-be before the formation of said Royal Commission, wakakaka again [eg the RCI into the circumstances leading to Princess Diane's tragic death must show the Princess had been a Paki-slut to surgeon Hasnat Khan, allowing the British public to change their adoration for the Princess into a much-desired rehabilitation of a once-much-detested adulterous couple, wakakaka - poor billionaire Mohammed Al Fayed for futilely dreaming of a hopeful confirmation by the RCI of the Princess romantic association with his son Dodi].
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