Newly appointed Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim vowed today - in his first day as the country's top judge - to do his best to ensure that the judiciary is free of corrupt judges.

Judges who are found to be dishonest and "work for their own self benefits" will be removed, he said.

Ahmad Fairuz was speaking to reporters at the Federal Court today, hours after receiving his letter of appointment from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

He was tapped last week to replace outgoing chief justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah, who retired o­n Saturday after serving two-and-half years as top judge.

"An efficient judicial system must mean judges who are not corrupt, judges who are honest, who really work for the nation. We don't want judges who work for their own self benefits.