The Chief Justice of Malaysia (
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
: ''Ketua Hakim Negara Malaysia''), also known as the chief justice of the Federal Court, is the office and title of the head of the Malaysian judiciary system. The title has been in use since 1994, and prior to this it was known as the
lord president of the Federal Court The title of Lord President of the Supreme Court was formerly the title of the head of the judiciary in Malaysia, until 1994 when the office was renamed " Chief Justice of the Federal Court".
The Lord President was head of the highest court in Mal ...
. The chief justice is the head of the
Federal Court, the
apex court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
of Malaysia. It is the highest position in Malaysian judicial system followed by the
president of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia (Malay: ''Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan''), is the office and title of the deputy head of the Malaysian judiciary system. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, when the Court of Appeal of Mala ...
,
chief judge of Malaya
The high courts in Malaysia are the third-highest courts in the hierarchy of courts of Malaysia, courts, after the Federal Court of Malaysia, Federal Court and the Court of Appeal (Malaysia), Court of Appeal. Article 121 of the Constitution of Ma ...
, and the
chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak
The Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak ( Malay: ''Hakim Besar Sabah dan Sarawak''; ), formerly the Chief Justice of Borneo, is the office and title of the head of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, ...
.
The current chief justice is
Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat
Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat ( ms, تڠكو ميمون توان مت, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 2 July 1959) is a Malaysian lawyer who has served as the 10th Chief Justice of Malaysia since May 2019. She is the first woman ...
, since 2 May 2019.
Constitutional basis
The office of Chief Justice of the Federal Court is established under Article 122 of the
Constitution of Malaysia
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia ( ms, Perlembagaan
Persekutuan Malaysia) which was promulgated on 16 September 1963, is the supreme law of Malaysia and contains a total of 183 articles. It is a written legal document which was preceded ...
, which establishes the then-Supreme Court (now Federal Court) as consisting of a lord president (now chief justice), the chief judges of the High Courts and at least four other judges and such additional judges as may be appointed pursuant to Clause (1A).
Role
The chief justice is
first among equals
''Primus inter pares'' is a Latin phrase meaning first among equals. It is typically used as an honorary title for someone who is formally equal to other members of their group but is accorded unofficial respect, traditionally owing to their sen ...
among the judges of the Federal Court, and the position differs little from that of the other judges. All judges, including the chief justice, are appointed by the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (, Jawi: ), also known as the Supreme Head of the Federation, the Paramount Ruler or simply as the Agong, and unofficially as the King of Malaysia, is the constitutional monarch and head of state of Malaysia. The of ...
(King of Malaysia), on the advice of the
prime minister of Malaysia
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the fede ...
. Under Article 125 of the
Malaysian Constitution
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia ( ms, Perlembagaan
Persekutuan Malaysia) which was promulgated on 16 September 1963, is the supreme law of Malaysia and contains a total of 183 articles. It is a written legal document which was preceded ...
, they can be removed only by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, on a recommendation from a tribunal consisting of at least five judges who are current or former
Federal Court judges.
Reasons for removal include the chief justice:
* not following the Judges’ Code of Ethics; or
* being physically or mentally unable to carry out his or her duties.
The prime minister will then provide the Yang di-Pertuan Agong the reason(s) why the chief justice should be removed. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong will then proceed to set up the tribunal to make a decision.
Chief justices of Malaysia
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! Born
!
Alma mater
! Tenure started
! Tenure ended
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! class="unsortable" , Prior senior judicial offices
, -
, rowspan="2",
, rowspan="2",
(died )
,
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn.) Lincoln ...
, rowspan="2",
02009-10-01-0310 November 1988
, rowspan="2",
02009-10-01-0324 September 1994
, rowspan="2",
, rowspan="2",
, -
,
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University (OCU) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees and doctor ...
, -
,
,
(age )
,
,
02009-10-01-0325 September 1994
,
02009-10-01-0319 December 2000
,
,
Chief Judge of Malaya
The high courts in Malaysia are the third-highest courts in the hierarchy of courts of Malaysia, courts, after the Federal Court of Malaysia, Federal Court and the Court of Appeal (Malaysia), Court of Appeal. Article 121 of the Constitution of Ma ...
(1994)
, -
,
,
(age )
,
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn an ...
,
02009-10-01-0320 December 2000
,
02009-10-01-0314 March 2003
,
,
, -
, rowspan="5",
, rowspan="5",
(age )
, rowspan="3",
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
, rowspan="5",
02009-10-01-0316 March 2003
, rowspan="5",
02009-10-01-0331 October 2007
, rowspan="5",
, Judge of the
High Court of Malaysia (1989-1995)
, -
, Judge of the
Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The Court of Appeal ( ms, Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia) is an appellate court of the judiciary system in Malaysia. It is the second highest court in the hierarchy below the Federal Court. This court was created in 1994 as part of reforms made to t ...
(1995-2000)
, -
, Judge of the
Federal Court of Malaysia
The Federal Court of Malaysia ( ms, Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia) is the highest court and the final appellate court in Malaysia. It is housed in the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. The court was established during Malaya's independence in 1 ...
(2000-2001)
, -
, rowspan="2",
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) () is a Dutch and English-speaking research university located in Brussels, Belgium.The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is one of the five universities officially recognised by the Flemish Community, Flemish gov ...
,
Chief Judge of Malaya
The high courts in Malaysia are the third-highest courts in the hierarchy of courts of Malaysia, courts, after the Federal Court of Malaysia, Federal Court and the Court of Appeal (Malaysia), Court of Appeal. Article 121 of the Constitution of Ma ...
(2001–2002)
, -
,
President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia (Malay: ''Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan''), is the office and title of the deputy head of the Malaysian judiciary system. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, when the Court of Appeal of Mala ...
(2002-2003)
, -
,
,
(age )
,
University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
,
02009-10-01-032 November 2007
,
02009-10-01-0318 October 2008
,
,
President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia (Malay: ''Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan''), is the office and title of the deputy head of the Malaysian judiciary system. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, when the Court of Appeal of Mala ...
(2007)
, -
, rowspan="2",
, rowspan="2",
(age )
, rowspan="2",
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn.) Lincoln ...
, rowspan="2",
02009-10-01-0318 October 2008
, rowspan="2",
02009-10-01-039 September 2011
, rowspan="2",
, Judge of the
Federal Court of Malaysia
The Federal Court of Malaysia ( ms, Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia) is the highest court and the final appellate court in Malaysia. It is housed in the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. The court was established during Malaya's independence in 1 ...
(2007)
, -
,
President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia (Malay: ''Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan''), is the office and title of the deputy head of the Malaysian judiciary system. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, when the Court of Appeal of Mala ...
(2007–2008)
, -
, rowspan="4",
, rowspan="4",
(age )
, rowspan="2",
University of Sheffield
, mottoeng = To discover the causes of things
, established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions:
– Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield
, type = Pu ...
, rowspan="4",
02009-10-01-0312 September 2011
, rowspan="4",
02009-10-01-0331 March 2017
, rowspan="4",
, Judge of the
High Court of Malaysia (1994-2002)
, -
, Judge of the
Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The Court of Appeal ( ms, Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia) is an appellate court of the judiciary system in Malaysia. It is the second highest court in the hierarchy below the Federal Court. This court was created in 1994 as part of reforms made to t ...
(2002-2005)
, -
, rowspan="2",
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
, Judge of the
Federal Court of Malaysia
The Federal Court of Malaysia ( ms, Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia) is the highest court and the final appellate court in Malaysia. It is housed in the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. The court was established during Malaya's independence in 1 ...
(2005-2008)
, -
,
Chief Judge of Malaya
The high courts in Malaysia are the third-highest courts in the hierarchy of courts of Malaysia, courts, after the Federal Court of Malaysia, Federal Court and the Court of Appeal (Malaysia), Court of Appeal. Article 121 of the Constitution of Ma ...
(2008–2011)
, -
, rowspan="3",
, rowspan="3",
(age )
,
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya ( ms, Universiti Malaya, UM; abbreviated as UM or informally the Malayan University) is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of highe ...
, rowspan="3",
02009-10-01-031 April 2017
, rowspan="3",
02009-10-01-0310 July 2018
, rowspan="3",
, Judge of the
High Court of Malaysia (1996-2006)
, -
, rowspan="2",
London School of Economics
, mottoeng = To understand the causes of things
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £240.8 million (2021)
, budget = £391.1 millio ...
, Judge of the
Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The Court of Appeal ( ms, Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia) is an appellate court of the judiciary system in Malaysia. It is the second highest court in the hierarchy below the Federal Court. This court was created in 1994 as part of reforms made to t ...
(2006-2011)
, -
,
President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia (Malay: ''Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan''), is the office and title of the deputy head of the Malaysian judiciary system. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, when the Court of Appeal of Mala ...
(2011–2017)
, -
, rowspan="4",
, rowspan="4",
(age )
, rowspan="2",
MARA University of Technology
The Majlis Amanah Rakyat, MARA Technological University (Malay language, Malay: ''Universiti Teknologi MARA''; Jawi alphabet, Jawi: اونيۏرسيتي تيكنولوڬي مارا; abbr. UiTM) is a public university based primarily in Shah Ala ...
, rowspan="4",
02009-10-01-0311 July 2018
, rowspan="4",
02009-10-01-0312 April 2019
, rowspan="4",
, Judge of the
High Court of Malaysia (2004-2006)
, -
, Judge of the
Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The Court of Appeal ( ms, Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia) is an appellate court of the judiciary system in Malaysia. It is the second highest court in the hierarchy below the Federal Court. This court was created in 1994 as part of reforms made to t ...
(2002-2005)
, -
,
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
, Judge of the
Federal Court of Malaysia
The Federal Court of Malaysia ( ms, Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia) is the highest court and the final appellate court in Malaysia. It is housed in the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. The court was established during Malaya's independence in 1 ...
(2005-2006)
, -
,
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...
,
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak
The Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak ( Malay: ''Hakim Besar Sabah dan Sarawak''; ), formerly the Chief Justice of Borneo, is the office and title of the head of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, ...
(2006–2018)
, -
, rowspan="3",
, rowspan="3",
(age )
, rowspan="3",
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya ( ms, Universiti Malaya, UM; abbreviated as UM or informally the Malayan University) is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of highe ...
, rowspan="3",
02009-10-01-032 May 2019
, rowspan="3", ''Incumbent''
, rowspan="3", {{age in years and days, 2019, 5, 2, sep=and, duration=on
, Judge of the
High Court of Malaysia (2007-2013)
, -
, Judge of the
Court of Appeal of Malaysia
The Court of Appeal ( ms, Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia) is an appellate court of the judiciary system in Malaysia. It is the second highest court in the hierarchy below the Federal Court. This court was created in 1994 as part of reforms made to t ...
(2013-2018)
, -
, Judge of the
Federal Court of Malaysia
The Federal Court of Malaysia ( ms, Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia) is the highest court and the final appellate court in Malaysia. It is housed in the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. The court was established during Malaya's independence in 1 ...
(2018-2019)
, -
See also
*
Courts of Malaysia
Judiciary of Malaysia is largely centralised despite Malaysia's federal constitution, heavily influenced by the English common law, as well as Islamic jurisprudence.
Current system
There are generally two types of trials, criminal and civ ...
*
2007 Royal Commission
References
Chief Justices of Malaysia
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boat ...