GEORGE TOWN, Nov 27 — Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh has announced decisive measures to address case backlogs and enhance access to justice by appointing additional judicial commissioners and expanding mediation services.
He said, however, that merely increasing the number of judges is an incomplete solution as it is a form of “firefighting” that cannot sustainably resolve the underlying crisis without deeper, structural reforms.
“Appointing more judicial commissioners is merely firefighting. We do not want to firefight. There are other solutions, such as mediation, to reduce the caseload, and we are doing it; it is work in progress,” he told reporters after the launching ceremony of the Court of Appeal circuit sitting here today.
Acknowledging the severe strain on the courts, Wan Ahmad Farid highlighted the unsustainable burden on judges, citing an example from Johor Bahru where a single judge is managing approximately 800 cases. In a normal situation, it would be about 200 to 250 cases per judge.
In his opening address, Wan Ahmad Farid said that the reactivation of the Court of Appeal circuit sitting would significantly expand public access to the justice system and bring major benefits to the northern zone states.
He said this initiative not only meets the long-held expectations of the legal community, including senior lawyers, but also creates valuable opportunities for junior and trainee lawyers.
They will be able to observe advocacy techniques, learn how to prepare appeal memoranda, and witness the highest standards of professional practice firsthand.
Meanwhile, Court of Appeal president, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais, said that holding circuit hearings also fosters closer interaction between the judiciary and the local legal community, while providing direct learning opportunities for junior lawyers.
He added that the initiative significantly reduces the logistical burden on involved parties, particularly the Prisons Department, which has to transport prisoners from across Peninsular Malaysia to Putrajaya. It also makes it easier for prisoners’ families to attend the proceedings.
Furthermore, he noted that these circuit hearings provide judicial officers from the Lower and High Courts with an invaluable learning opportunity, allowing them to observe the appeal process directly, from legal arguments to the panel’s final judgment.
“This direct feedback deepens their understanding of how the law is applied and the foundations of a judgment, thereby promoting greater consistency and coherence in the administration of justice,” he said.
In a separate statement, Malaysian Bar president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab described the circuit initiative as a people-centred and forward-looking policy.
He emphasised that it creates a more accessible appellate process by sparing stakeholders the burden of travelling to Putrajaya, thereby saving time, reducing costs, and minimising disruption, a key benefit for vulnerable groups like prisoners.
“Circuit sittings also create valuable opportunities for professional growth within the legal community by broadening advocacy experience and supporting a more even distribution of legal expertise throughout the country,” he added. — Bernama