New appeals court president, chief judge of Sabah, S'wak sworn in

Federal Court judge Abu Bakar Jais took his oath of office and loyalty today as the new president of the Court of Appeal, while Azizah Nawawi made history as the first woman appointed chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

Abu Bakar, 63, replaces Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, who retired on July 3, while Azizah, also 63 and originally from Sibu, Sarawak, succeeds Abdul Rahman Sebli, who retired on July 24.

Abu Bakar, from Muar, Johor, took his oath of office and loyalty before senior Court of Appeal judge P Ravinthran.

Meanwhile, Azizah was sworn in before Dean Wayne Daly, the most senior judge in Sabah and Sarawak.

Six High Court judges and 14 judicial commissioners were also elevated today in a ceremony witnessed by newly appointed Chief Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh and Chief Judge of Malaya Hasnah Hashim.

The six newly sworn-in Court of Appeal judges are Shahnaz Sulaiman, Evrol Mariette Peters, Ong Chee Kwan, Radzi Abdul Hamid, Leonard David Shim, and Nadzarin Wok Nordin.

The 14 judicial commissioners confirmed as High Court judges are Maslinda @ Linda Ainal, Faridz Gohim Abdullah, Choong Yeow Choy, Saiful Azian Mokhtar, Evawani Farisyta Mohammad, S Indra Nehru, M Sumathi, Moses Susayan, Kan Weng Hin, Wendy Ooi, Rosli Yusoff, Hazlina Hussain, Roszianayati Ahmad, and Haldar Abdul Aziz.

All appointments take effect today.

Among those present at the ceremony, held at the Palace of Justice, were former chief justices Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Raus Sharif, and Arifin Zakaria, as well as Malaysian Bar president Ezri Abdul Wahab.

- Bernama

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