KUALA LUMPUR (March 31): Hong Kong Basic Law Committee member Priscilla Leung Mei-fun has mooted the idea that the government could consider recruiting retired judges from Malaysia and Singapore who are more familiar with Chinese culture and family values and can make decisions better suited to Hong Kong.

According to a report by China’s Global Times on Thursday (March 31), Leung’s comment came in the wake of the government of Hong Kong refuting statements that questioned the independence and impartiality of judges after the resignation of the president and the deputy president of the Supreme Court of the UK who served as non-permanent judges (NPJs) of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (CFA).

Leung is a barrister and Hong Kong legislative councillor.

Hong Kong had said the judicial independence of the island state is constitutionally guaranteed by the Basic Law.

Global Times quoted Leung as saying that Hong Kong can take this opportunity to recruit more qualified judges in other common law jurisdictions besides the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

It said Leung had noted that the appointment of judges should be based on their judicial and professional qualities, adding that it is not appropriate to recruit magistrates that hold important posts in foreign courts as NPJs of the Hong Kong CFA because they are often seen by the public as representing their countries, which would "cause unnecessary political embarrassment".