{
  "id": 15440945,
  "title": "Judges must seek to be right, not popular, says Chief Justice",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/judges-must-seek-to-be-right-not-popular-says-chief-justice",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T15:16:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/18/judges-must-seek-to-be-right-not-popular-says-chief-justice"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chief Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh of Malaysia has cautioned the public to read court judgments thoroughly, including any dissenting opinions, before forming an opinion on legal matters. During a lecture at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin in Kuala Terengganu, the Chief Justice urged judges to prioritize delivering justice over garnering public approval. He emphasized that the judiciary's role is not to be popular, but to be right. The Chief Justice stressed the danger posed by social media outrage and trial by public opinion, which could undermine judicial independence. He urged judges not to chase public approval but to focus on upholding justice. The Chief Justice highlighted the judiciary's troubled history, including past crises and controversies, to illustrate that public mistrust can sometimes be justified. He pointed out that an institution unable to honestly address its shortcomings cannot expect public trust. To rebuild trust, the judicial institution must acknowledge its past mistakes, engage in self-correction, and adopt measures such as plain-language summaries of judgments, timely publication, transparent complaints procedures, and a credible code of ethics. While criticism of judicial decisions is healthy, personal attacks and attempts to portray judges as adversaries can damage respect for the institution. The Chief Justice reiterated that the judiciary can survive public scrutiny.",
  "summary": "Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh says social media outrage is a threat to judicial independence, and urges the public to read judgments before passing verdicts.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Judges must seek to be right, not popular, says Chief Justice",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/judges-must-seek-to-be-right-not-popular-says-chief-justice-15445599",
        "published": "2026-10-18T15:16:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}