JUSTICE CHIN: Pressure is everywhere, Malaysiakini and blogospere.

So he said work pressure and stress as the reasons for quiting early. Lets see what others got to say, in both Malaysiakini and blogosphere.

From Malaysiakini
Stress, pressure make judge quit
Syed Jaymal Zahiid | Nov 29, 08 2:02pm
Controversial judge Ian Chin says work pressure and stress caused by him constantly defying his superiors prompted him to opt for early retirement.

From asiaone NEWS
Judge Chin tells why he's retiring early
AsiaOne, Singapore

Justice Datuk Ian Chin, who revealed the existence of a boot camp for judges, said he decided to go for early retirement as work had become "very stressful."

In a media statement distributed after attending a farewell gathering with Kota Kinabalu High Court staff yesterday, he said he no longer enjoyed working as a judge since last year.

"Suffice for me to say that all too often I found myself in circumstances where I had to make a stand which may be regarded as in defiance to a directive or instruction from my superior, which was very stressful to me," he said.

Justice Chin had said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had made thinly veiled threats against judges at the Judges Conference in 1997. He said Dr Mahathir threatened to sack judges who did not support him. Dr Mahathir has denied the claims in his blog.

Justice Chin, 60, tendered his resignation on July 16 and will leave office on Dec 1.

Acknowledging that his early retirement could be described as resignation, Justice Chin noted that only judges who had served for 15 years were entitled to full pension.

"I started as a Judicial Commissioner on March 1, 1992 and was made judge in August 1993. This meant I would have served 15 years as a judge after August 2008.

"It was not until Aug 22, 2008, that the law was amended to regard the period served as Judicial Commissioner as having served as a judge," he explained.

Justice Chin said he had found a position overseas. But that job meant that he had to leave before August, which would have resulted in him forfeiting his pension.

"I was of the view that I was giving up too much and so I forewent that opportunity," he said, adding that his leave was approved two months from September to November, giving him the right to a full pension with the exact date of retirement left open.

"Then I was assigned to an election case which resulted in such furore that it added to my unhappiness to continue working as a judge," he said, adding that this led him to set the date for his early retirement.

Others:

Dr M wants Government to probe Justice Chin for alleged misconduct

He said the allegation should be taken seriously, as documents he received, including a police report lodged against Justice Chin for breach of Judge’s Code ...

tunku: High Court Justice Chin has resigned

KUALA LUMPUR: High Court Justice Ian Chin, who once said that he had been among judges sent to a boot camp back in 1997 that sought to encourage judges to ...

Matthias Chang dared Justice Chin and Chief Justice Hamid Mohamad ...

Lawyer Matthias Chang this morning challenged Justice Ian Chin of the Sarawak .... The allegations by justice Ian Chin is very serious and the challenge by ...

Tun Dr. Mahathir: Set up a tribunal to investigate Justice Ian ...

He held up a compiled report against Justice Chin which is two inch thick. ... Justice Chin attracted attention when he claimed Tun Dr. Mahathir issued ...

Judge Chin tells why he's retiring early

Sat, Nov 29, 2008
The Star

Justice Datuk Ian Chin, who revealed the existence of a boot camp for judges, said he decided to go for early retirement as work had become "very stressful."

In a media statement distributed after attending a farewell gathering with Kota Kinabalu High Court staff yesterday, he said he no longer enjoyed working as a judge since last year.

"Suffice for me to say that all too often I found myself in circumstances where I had to make a stand which may be regarded as in defiance to a directive or instruction from my superior, which was very stressful to me," he said.

Justice Chin had said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had made thinly veiled threats against judges at the Judges Conference in 1997. He said Dr Mahathir threatened to sack judges who did not support him. Dr Mahathir has denied the claims in his blog.

Justice Chin, 60, tendered his resignation on July 16 and will leave office on Dec 1.

Acknowledging that his early retirement could be described as resignation, Justice Chin noted that only judges who had served for 15 years were entitled to full pension.

"I started as a Judicial Commissioner on March 1, 1992 and was made judge in August 1993. This meant I would have served 15 years as a judge after August 2008.

"It was not until Aug 22, 2008, that the law was amended to regard the period served as Judicial Commissioner as having served as a judge," he explained.

Justice Chin said he had found a position overseas. But that job meant that he had to leave before August, which would have resulted in him forfeiting his pension.

"I was of the view that I was giving up too much and so I forewent that opportunity," he said, adding that his leave was approved two months from September to November, giving him the right to a full pension with the exact date of retirement left open.

"Then I was assigned to an election case which resulted in such furore that it added to my unhappiness to continue working as a judge," he said, adding that this led him to set the date for his early retirement.

Judge Chin tells why he's retiring early
AsiaOne, Singapore

‘Boot camp’ judge resigns

A High Court judge who revealed the existence of a boot camp for judges back in 1997 has tendered his resignation and will leave office on Dec 1.

Datuk Ian Chin wrote a letter to the King on July 16 to resign and went on leave on Aug 21.

Chin: Went on leave on Aug 21

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah said this in reply to Tian Chua (PKR - Batu) who asked whether the Government had taken steps to investigate the accusations made by Chin against former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

With Chin’s resignation, there was no need to investigate the matter, said Murugiah.

Earlier, Murugiah told Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (BN - Jerlun) that the Government did not intend to make representation to the King to put Chin before a tribunal.

On July 15, several MPs, while debating on the Judges Remuneration (Amendment) Bill, criticised Chin in the Dewan Rakyat over his war of words with Dr Mahathir.

Some questioned his revelation, made only after Dr Mahathir had stepped down, and some called for him to be sacked for being “judicially immature”.

It prompted Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to intervene. He asked Karpal Singh to read out Article 127 of the Federal Constitution and Parliament’s Standing Order 36(8) to remind MPs not to debate on judges’ behaviour unless a substantive motion was moved with the consent of 55 MPs.

In June, Chin caused a stir when he claimed that Dr Mahathir had made a thinly veiled threat against judges at the Judges Conference on April 24, 1997.

He claimed Dr Mahathir had threatened to sack judges who failed to deliver judgments to his or the Government’s liking.

Chin had also said that Dr Mahathir was dissatisfied over his unwillingness to award astronomical sums in damages in two libel suits in 1997, and that “errant” judges had been sent to a boot camp in an “attempt to indoctrinate them to hold the view that the Government’s interest was more important than all else”.

Dr Mahathir, in his blog, said the judges were never sent to a boot camp

‘Boot camp’ judge resigns
Malaysia Star, Malaysia

beritadarigunung: Why Mahathir is the target?

Malaysia's Mahathir denies accusations of indoctrination camp for judges, civil servants

The Associated Press
Published: June 26, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad denied Thursday that he sent judges and other civil servants to a camp to indoctrinate them with government propaganda.

High Court Judge Ian Chin claimed earlier this month that Mahathir had threatened judges and sent them to so-called boot camps to make sure they acted in the government's favor.
The accusations were a fresh blow to the country's judiciary, already tainted with allegations that judicial appointments were brokered by a senior lawyer with top connections during Mahathir's tenure, which ended in 2003.

"The boot camp was not a boot camp at all. It was a ... course which had been attended by thousands of civil servants, business executives and politicians without any complaints," Mahathir said.

He slammed Chin, alleging the judge had made the accusations to cover up his own wrongdoing and get in the good books of the current administration.

Mahathir is at loggerheads with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government, accusing it of corruption, inefficiency and weakness. He has demanded Abdullah's resignation.
Chin "tries to divert attention to me, knowing of course that I'm not the favorite of the present government, that anyone who says anything against me would become very popular with the government," Mahathir said.

Chin was not immediately available for comment.

Mahathir, who resigned as prime minister after 22 years in power, has repeatedly rejected accusations that he influenced judges' decisions and appointments, saying he would be willing to testify in court.

A panel set up by the government to probe possible judicial corruption said last month it believed that prominent judicial and government figures — including Mahathir — may have been involved in a conspiracy several years ago to manipulate the appointment of top judges.
Mahathir has had many run-ins with the government since he handed the reins to Abdullah, his hand-picked successor.

After Abdullah canceled several of Mahathir's grand projects, Mahathir began attacking Abdullah. Mahathir called for Abdullah to step down after the ruling coalition suffered heavy losses in March general elections. .... international herald tribune

Dr M: Probe Justice Chin's alleged misconduct

By MANJIT KAUR
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has called on the Government to set up a tribunal to investigate High Court Judge Datuk Ian Chin for alleged misconduct.

He said the allegation should be taken seriously, claiming he had received documents, including a police report lodged against Justice Chin breaching the Judge’s Code of Ethics, that have also been sent out to several judges, the Chief Justice and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“So why are they ignoring the fact? When PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim brought up the case against lawyer V.K. Lingam, a royal commission was set up immediately.
“It's up to the tribunal to decide whether the complaint against Justice Chin is true or otherwise, but what's important now is to set up the tribunal,” he said told reporters at his office at the Petronas Twin Towers here Thursday.

He said that on June 10, The Borneo Post had reported Justice Chin’s judicial disclosure about how Dr Mahathir had allegedly threatened judges and sent them to boot camps.
“What he did not reveal was that there a police report against him for breaching the code of ethics when hearing a case in which he had a personal interest.

“Justice Chin presided on a case involving businessman Datuk Syed Kechik Syed Mohamad without revealing that he believed Syed Kechik was responsible for getting his father and brother arrested 20 years ago.

“With Justice Chin joining Parti Berjaya where one of its objectives was to expel Syed Kechik, this should have resulted in him excusing himself from hearing the case,” he said.
Dr Mahathir touched on Justice Chin changing his initial accusation of “veiled threat” and claiming that, “I (Dr Mahathir) did not speak about removing judges through a tribunal but conveyed the threat by dropping words to that effect here and there.”

“I am wondering what the words were," he added. ... the star online