South China Morning Post, 23 Jan 2009, Philip Bowring
The clear signal from Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang that the judiciary must keep itself at arm's length from the executive could not have come at a more appropriate time. Look around Asia and all too often one sees that the huge progress made towards liberal democracy is being undermined by use of the judiciary for political ends, eroding democracy directly or via loss of people's faith in the wider system of government.
Meanwhile, Singapore boasts a clean judiciary but one whose proclaimed independence from political pressures is regarded as a bad joke by many, not just the opposition politicians who have suffered from Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's libel suits.
There are three lessons for the judiciary: the first is that separation from the executive is critical; second, that it must refrain from seeing itself as a maker rather than interpreter of laws; and, third, it must avoid identification with any particular political or economic interest group.
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