Terrirudin now on Judicial Appointments Commission

Federal Court judge Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh has been appointed to the nine-member Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).

He was appointed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim under the quota of five executive-picked members of the JAC.

Under that quota, the prime minister can appoint one Federal Court judge and four eminent persons who are not members of the executive or other public service.

The other four members, who are automatically appointed by virtue of their position in the judiciary, are the chief justice, who is also the commission’s chairperson, the Court of Appeal president, and the two chief judges representing East and West Malaysia.

READ MORE: KINIGUIDE | On the appointment of judges and how PM has a role

It was reported that the gazette appointing Terrirudin to a two-year term on the JAC took effect on Nov 15.

He replaces former Federal Court judge Zabariah Yusof, who retired last month.

The move was touted as a departure from the longstanding practice of assigning that slot to a senior apex court judge.

In terms of seniority, the top Federal Court judge is Rhodzariah Bujang, who joined the apex court in March 2020.

The JAC was the subject of intense scrutiny and controversy in the middle of this year over allegations that a Federal Court judge was accused of judicial interference during a commission meeting in May.

Queries by Malaysiakini to the judge in question in June led to a police investigation after the judge ordered an aide to lodge a police report.

Later in July, purported minutes of the meeting leaked on social media.

This led to a full-blown judicial scandal, with fears that the executive was trying to exert control over the judiciary, with the judge in question allegedly poised to become chief judge of Malaya and then the chief justice.

However, the scandal died down after Court of Appeal judge Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh was elevated as chief justice following the retirement of Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.

In response to speculation, Anwar denied that he had nominated Terrirudin for consideration as chief justice.

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