PUTRAJAYA – Malaysian Bar president Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor has welcomed Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s appointment as the new Chief Justice, saying it is a defining moment in the nation’s history as it is the first time a woman has been appointed to head the judiciary.
“This goes to show that gender should never be a consideration over merits and one’s capabilities,” he said today.
He said Tengku Maimun is known to be a fair-minded judge with good judicial temperament and sound knowledge of the law.
“The Malaysian Bar is confident and hopeful that her Ladyship will rise to the occasion in taking all the necessary steps in making the judiciary of one which the nation can be proud of, in dispensing justice in a fair and just manner,” he said in a statement.
He said as Tengku Maimun would have quite a few years helming the judiciary, it would be an opportune moment for reforms to be carried out within the judiciary in order to take the Malaysian Judiciary to greater heights and to erase all the negativities of the past.
Abdul Fareed said the Bar has had a good working relationship with her from the days she was the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court.
“As an equal partner in the administration of justice, the Malaysian Bar is looking forward to a continued close and good working relationship with her Ladyship and the judiciary,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi said Malaysia should be proud to be one of the few countries in the world which appointed a female Chief Justice.
It shows that a woman can also be a leader as has been proven in many industries and organisation, he said.
Zaki, who is now Chief Justice of Dubai International Financial Centre Courts, congratulated Tengku Maimun on her appointment to the judiciary’s highest post.
Lawyer Nizam Bashir said he could not think of a more deserving candidate than Tengku Maimun to be appointed the Chief Justice.
“I think most of the headlines have given her due credit because she is the first female Chief Justice of Malaysia but there is certainly more to her achievement in terms of case laws and precedent decisions when she was a judge in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
“There are ground-breaking decisions which she should be rightly recognised for,” he said.
In a statement yesterday, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister and after consulting the Conference of Rulers agreed to her appointment as the Chief Justice effective today.
According to PMO, the date for her swearing-in ceremony and receipt of instruments of appointment before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will be announced later.
She replaces Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, who retired on April 12.
-BERNAMA
