PETALING JAYA: Sessions Court judges throughout Malaysia were ordered to attend a National Civics Bureau (Biro Tata Negara or BTN) course prior to the 14th General Election, claimed Lawyers for Liberty.

The course was called "Latihan Transformasi Negara" (Training for National Transformation) and held on March 16 to 18, 2018 at the Akademi Kenegaraan Biro Tatanegara on Jalan Bellamy in Kuala Lumpur.

"Lawyers for Liberty has been given a copy of the written instructions to all Sessions Court judges to attend the course, which was issued by the office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court. Attendance was made compulsory.

"It is unacceptable and shocking that Judges had been compelled to attend the BTN course," said its advisor N. Surendran.

He claimed that forcibly sending every Sessions Court judge in the country for the BTN course was a serious threat to judicial independence.

"What has BTN's 'Latihan Transformasi Negara' have to do with the professional training or work of judges?

"What were the judges taught or exhorted or persuaded to do during these courses? What was the objective of making judges attend such courses, and who initiated and ordered it?" he said

Surendran added that Chief Registrar Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar, whose office issued the instructions for the programme, must explain why she did so and the purpose of the BTN course.

He also wanted Latifah to immediately disclose whether BTN officials continue to be involved in the training of judges.

Surendran said BTN has been "notorious" for promoting racism and being a propaganda tool for the former Barisan Nasional regime.