Judges should take the lead in judicial reform in order to win back public trust in the country’s court system, new Judicial Yuan President Rai Hau-min (賴浩敏) said yesterday.
“Judges should act like a ‘get-out-the-vote organizer’ in an election campaign in order to speed up much-anticipated judicial reform to restore public faith in our judiciary and court system,” Rai said after accepting the post’s official seal from the top judicial body’s acting president, Hsieh Tsay-chuan (謝在全), at a changeover ceremony.
In the wake of a spate of scandals involving senior judges that have marred the judiciary’s image, Rai said restoring public trust in the judicial system was his priority.
Rai, a lawyer who once served as chairman of the Central Election Commission, said he would direct the formation of a national judicial reform committee to work out a detailed reform agenda within a year.
“In carrying out reform programs, we will follow the principles of establishing an incorruptible, transparent, responsive and efficient judicial system,” Rai said.
Also assuming office yesterday was Judicial Yuan Vice President Su Yeong-chin (蘇永欽), a law professor and a confidant of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) who once headed the National Communications Commission.
Ma nominated Rai and Su on Aug. 24.
The two Judicial Yuan posts became vacant after Lai In-jaw (賴英照) and Hsieh resigned in July as president and vice president respectively to take responsibility for a scandal in which three senior judges were detained for alleged corruption.
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