PUTRAJAYA, July 21 -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reportedly denied claims of a last-minute change in the proposed candidate for Chief Justice.

He said today that the appointment had already been submitted and approved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong earlier in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

"They said the [judicial] system was compromised. There were those who wanted to politicise the issue," he said at the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister's Department as quoted by New Straits Times.

"For a week, we were criticised, with claims that the prime minister did not respond. How could I respond at that time when the [judicial appointment] process was still ongoing?"

He explained that under Article 122B of the F...