Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh said judges often take a long time to get promoted to the Federal Court and would typically have to retire soon after reaching the apex court.
PETALING JAYA: Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh has suggested that the retirement age of judges be increased to at least 75 years, saying this was one profession where one should not retire at 60 or 65.
Yeoh, a lawyer by training, said judges often take a long time to get promoted to the Federal Court and would typically have to retire soon after reaching the apex court.
“It’s such a waste of talent and resources. Their minds are still very sharp, experienced and wise. I feel they should be serving on the bench till at least 75,” she said in a Facebook post, adding that this was her personal opinion.
Yeoh, who is also the youth and sports minister, said she recently attended a dinner hosted by the Inns Of Court Malaysia to celebrate the retirement of Federal Court judge Mary Lim.
She pointed out that Lim led the three-member Court of Appeal bench that unanimously quashed Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s development order to develop Taman Rimba Kiara, which is in Yeoh’s constituency.
“She delivered a beautiful heartfelt retirement speech which only made me even more sad. Such a brilliant legal mind should not be retiring so early.
“And today, we have so many good judges in their 60s who can still contribute to the Malaysian judiciary for many, many years to come,” said the DAP MP.
Currently, judges at the Federal Court have to retire at the age of 66 and six months.
There have been repeated calls for their retirement age to be raised to 70, including by the Malaysian Bar in January last year. Its then president, Karen Cheah, pointed out that some countries have mooted fixing the retirement age at even 80 years old.
In response, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said this had not been discussed by the judges collectively but there would be “no harm in exploring” the proposal.
