Chief Justice backs down in KPI row
By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi has bowed to pressure from lawyers and gave his assurance that judges’ key performance indicators (KPIs) do not and will not include the number of cases disposed of.
“In respect of the issue of KPIs, there is currently no and there will be no KPI measures based on a minimum disposal of cases per day, per week or per month as a KPI measure,” said a joint statement by Zaki and Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee.
The Malaysian Insider reported last month that the Bar Council had been given the mandate by the Bar after its annual general meeting to consider a boycott of the courts or to organise a march to protest against Zaki’s KPIs.
They had passed a no-confidence resolution against the top judge, claiming that judges were accelerating cases because of pressure to clear cases from the KPIs.
Lawyers were “crying out” as they were not being given enough time to interview witnesses, prepare written submissions or draft appeals due to the current “compacted” nature of court proceedings, Lim had said.
“The Bar has raised, from time to time, the problems and difficulties faced by lawyers and litigants in the two years caused by this exercise.
“With the view to addressing and remedying the problems and difficulties faced by lawyers and litigants, the Bench has responded positively by, amongst others, issuing at least two practice directions, one dated March 21, 2011 and the other today,” the statement added.
