Court of Appeal judge Wan Ahmad Farid to become next CJ?

Speculation is rife among the legal fraternity that Court of Appeal judge Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh is one of the front-runners to become the next chief justice.

Before being a judge, the 62-year-old used to serve as a deputy minister.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, several sources from the legal fraternity described him as a fair judge.

Earlier today, Singapore-based The Straits Times also reported that his name was among those being considered for the top judicial post.

Citing a ruling party lawmaker who requested anonymity, the report stated that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had floated the judge’s name “during meetings in recent days”.

A senior lawyer was also quoted as saying: “Yes, the name has been floated, and the legal fraternity would be more comfortable with someone of his experience and standing even though he is not in the Federal Court.”

Wan Ahmad Farid was appointed as a judicial commissioner in 2015 and served as a High Court judge from 2019 to 2024.

Before that, he was deputy home minister from March 2008 to April 2009, and was the Kuala Terengganu Umno deputy chief in 2001.

Notable decisions

His notable decisions as a judge included recusing himself from presiding over an application to allow a Queen’s Counsel (QC) from the United Kingdom to act for former premier Najib Abdul Razak in his RM42 million SRC International corruption case appeal.

He made the decision after mentioning that one of his family members belonged to Najib’s party.

On May 11, 2023, he also ruled that the children of single mother Loh Siew Hong were validly converted to Islam following Perlis Islamic state law, with the state Islamic authorities’ affidavit confirming that the children recited the Kalimah Shahadah (Islamic declaration of faith) in 2020.

In November last year, Wan Ahmad Farid ordered the police to complete the probe into Teoh Beng Hock’s death within six months, ruling there had been an inordinate delay in the investigation.

That came after he allowed the Teoh family’s judicial review over the 2009 incident.

“Investigation was not conducted with convenient speed. I compel the respondents (police) to complete the investigation within six months of this order,” the judge said.

Earlier today, the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, said judicial appointments were among the issues discussed during the Conference of Rulers meeting, but no announcement has been made on who would fill the vacant positions in the judiciary.

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