Its president Brenndon Keith Soh said no stone should be left unturned, and the individuals’ identity ultimately revealed.

“It is paramount that those implicated in such misconduct be brought to book immediately, so as to safeguard the sanctity of the judiciary as an institution,” he said in a statement today.

He added that this would preserve the integrity of the judges who had upheld their oath of office and were not involved in the allegations made by Hamid Sultan Abu Backer.

In the event that the government decides to form a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the matter, he said, any recommendations must be immediately implemented.

He noted the shortcomings of previous RCIs which had been ineffective due to inconclusive findings or inadequate action on the proposals made by commissioners.

“We trust that such deficiencies will not be repeated in the future in the event that an RCI is held,” he said.

He was responding to Hamid’s 65-page affidavit in support of legal action by lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo against the purported failure by Chief Justice Richard Malanjum to complete investigations into two cases of alleged judicial interference.

Meanwhile, the Advocates Association of Sarawak (AAS) voiced concern over the manner and timing of the affidavit, asking if unseen hands were involved in undermining public confidence in the judiciary.

Its president Ranbir Singh Sangha said there were many honest and capable judges still serving whose reputation would be tarnished by the affidavit.

He said the judiciary’s leadership had adopted many recommendations by the Institutional Reform Committee but that the changes were not reflected in Hamid’s affidavit.

He too urged the police and MACC to conduct speedy and expeditious investigations, with an RCI formed if necessary.

However, he was against the RCI being led by retired judges, members of the judiciary or past or present officers in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which he said might lead to a perception of bias.