“Another reform initiated by the judiciary is to ensure hearing of cases is not simply postponed. This culture of postponing cases should be addressed.
“Courts in countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Singapore, the culture of postponing cases does not exist there,” he said in his speech during the presentation of the instrument of appointment to seven new judicial commissioners at the Palace of Justice here.
Raus said when cases had been fixed for hearing, they should be heard and decided without delay.
Judges should conduct their case management well to ensure no postponement in cases already fixed for hearing, he added.
Raus said the no-postponement policy had been practised by the Federal Court and acknowledged that it was difficult initially.
He said there was however no postponement in almost 100% of cases at the court.
“For example, last week, the Federal Court sat in Kota Kinabalu for five days from Monday to Thursday.
“There were 43 cases fixed for hearing and which proceeded well except for one, which had to be postponed because of a lawyer from Miri who has no permit to work in Sabah.
“I hope this culture will be emulated at the Court of Appeal, the High Court and all levels of the court,” he said.
The chief justice also advised judges to make their decisions carefully and fairly based on the law and facts, as well as to make their judgment promptly and ensure the judgment is easily understood.
“If all these are not given attention, our decisions will be questioned and, as a result, the confidence and trust of the society for the judiciary will be eroded,” he added.