Lawyers for Liberty slam BTN course for judges

PETALING JAYA: Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) have questioned the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court on an alleged order for sessions court judges to attend a National Civics Bureau (BTN) course in March of this year.
"What has BTN's 'Latihan Transformasi Negara' have to do with the professional training or work of judges? What were the judges taught or exhorted or persuaded to do during these courses? What was the objective of making judges attend such courses, and who initiated and ordered it?" LFL's advisor N. Surendran said in a statement today.
He said that LFL had been given a copy of the written instructions to all sessions court judges to attend the course from March 16 to 18, which was held at Akademi Kenegaraan Biro Tatanegara at Jalan Bellamy in Kuala Lumpur.
He claimed the letter was issued by the office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court and that "attendance was made compulsory."
"Judges must be impartial and independent in their conduct and judgments; this is fundamental to uphold the rule of law and maintain the separation of powers.
"To forcibly send every sessions court judge in the country for the BTN course is a serious threat to judicial independence.
"Chief Registrar Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar, whose office issued the instructions for the programme, must explain why she did so and what was the purpose of the BTN course?
"Further, the Chief Registrar must immediately disclose whether the BTN officials continue to be involved in the training of our judges," he said.
He also called for an immediate review and termination of all ongoing training or directions that interferes with the independence of the judiciary.
Recently, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the government was committed to abolish BTN and that an official statement on the decision would be made soon.