Latest news with #AbuBakarJais
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
2 extra judges' panels to expedite appeal hearings
Abu Bakar Jais is the 13th Court of Appeal president since its establishment in 1994. (Bernama pic) PUTRAJAYA : Two more judges' panels will be set up to speed up the disposal of criminal and civil appeals, newly appointed Court of Appeal president Abu Bakar Jais said. He said there are currently eight panels. 'Hopefully, with more judges appointed, we can expedite the disposal of cases,' he told reporters after witnessing the elevation of six Court of Appeal judges and the confirmation of 14 judicial commissioners as High Court judges here today. With the appointment of the six judges, the Court of Appeal now comprises 32 judges, the maximum allowed under the Federal Constitution. Bakar is the 13th president since the appellate court's establishment in 1994. The Court of Appeal is often referred to as the 'engine of the judiciary' since it serves as the intermediate appellate court, reviewing decisions made by the High Court and the apex court for cases that originate from subordinate courts. Bakar described his appointment as a huge responsibility and a significant challenge in a country with a multiracial and multireligious population. 'Of course, as president, I cannot satisfy everyone, but I will discharge my duties without fear of favour,' he said. He also said there were highly capable judges who would assist him in fulfilling his responsibilities. Newly appointed Chief Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, who had earlier taken his oath of office before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara, was also present. At the Palace of Justice, Bakar took his oath of office before senior Court of Appeal judge P Ravinthran. Justice Azizah Nawawi, the new chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak, took her oath of office before Dean Wayne Daly, the most senior judge in East Malaysia. She is also the first woman to hold the position.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Ex-CJ Tengku Maimun says Federal Court was free of pressure during her tenure, cites dissenting decisions as proof
PUTRAJAYA, July 28 — Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat today dismissed the idea that she had influenced Federal Court decisions during her six-year tenure as the country's top judge. The recently retired judge pointed to her own dissenting judgments in constitutional cases as proof that judges had decided cases independently. 'For the past six years, the Federal Court had decided 19 cases involving various issues of constitutional law,' she told reporters at the Palace of Justice here, after the swearing-in ceremony of Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as the president of the Court of Appeal and the chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak respectively. 'And out of that 19 cases, I was dissenting in five cases. So I think statistically, five out of 19 represents about 25 per cent of the dissenting judgments.' Tengku Maimun said this showed judges were free from pressure, including from herself when she was chief justice. 'So I think that fact alone would manifest that judges decided independently without fear or favour, without external or internal pressure. 'Because if I had any influence on their decisions, then surely I would not be dissenting in five out of 19 cases involving especially constitutional law.' Tengku Maimun was asked about a recent speech by Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli who recently retired as chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak and had alleged interference in a Federal Court case involving constitutional issues. 'Let's not make it a contest of words between two people or more than two people. Perhaps I can just share some facts,' she replied, before going on to cite the statistics where she had been the dissenting judge in about 25 per cent of constitutional cases at the Federal Court. Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli is pictured during his swearing-in ceremony as a new chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on January 17, 2023. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Just before his retirement on July 25, Abdul Rahman had on July 23 in a farewell event in Kuching, Sarawak alleged that a senior judge had put pressure on him by criticising his draft judgment when he was still relatively junior as a Federal Court judge, but did not name the purported judge. In that speech, Abdul Rahman said he had stood by his draft judgment and it became a majority judgment as it was supported by three other judges, while three judges dissented and disagreed with his decision in that constitutional case. Tengku Maimun retired earlier this month after serving as the first woman chief justice in Malaysia. She said her retirement has been 'good'. 'Alhamdulillah, feeling very free, enjoying quiet moments,' she said. She also congratulated those appointed to new roles in the judiciary today.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Ex-CJ Tengku Maimun says Federal Court was free of pressure during her tenure, dissenting decisions as proof
PUTRAJAYA, July 28 — Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat today dismissed the idea that she had influenced Federal Court decisions during her six-year tenure as the country's top judge. The recently retired judge pointed to her own dissenting judgments in constitutional cases as proof that judges had decided cases independently. 'For the past six years, the Federal Court had decided 19 cases involving various issues of constitutional law,' she said at the Palace of Justice here, after the swearing-in ceremony of Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as the president of the Court of Appeal and te chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak respectively. 'And out of that 19 cases, I was dissenting in five cases. So I think statistically, five out of 19 represents about 25 per cent of the dissenting judgments.' Tengku Maimun said this showed judges were free from pressure, including from herself when she was chief justice. 'So I think that fact alone would manifest that judges decided independently without fear or favour, without external or internal pressure. 'Because if I had any influence on their decisions, then surely I would not be dissenting in five out of 19 cases involving especially constitutional law.' YAA Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli is pictured during the swearing-in ceremony as a new Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak at Palace of Justice in Putrajaya January 17, 2023. Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Tengku Maimun was asked about a recent speech by Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli who recently retired as chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak and had alleged interference in a Federal Court case involving constitutional issues. 'Let's not make it a contest of words between two people or more than two people. Perhaps I can just share some facts,' she replied. Tengku Maimun retired earlier this month after serving as the first woman chief justice in Malaysia. She said her retirement has been peaceful. 'Alhamdulillah, feeling very free, enjoying quiet moments,' she said. She also congratulated those appointed to new roles in the judiciary today.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Malaysia gets first woman Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, fills all top judicial posts
PUTRAJAYA, July 28 — Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais was sworn in today as the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), while Court of Appeal judge Datuk Azizah Nawawi became the first woman to become the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak (CJSS). The two took their oath of office and loyalty during a ceremony at the Palace of Justice here. Earlier in the morning, Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh was appointed and sworn in as the Chief Justice (CJ) of Malaysia at Istana Negara. Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim will continue on as Chief Judge of Malaya until her retirement in November; she was elevated to the judiciary's third-highest position last November. With these appointments, all four of Malaysia's top judicial positions have now been filled following the retirement of the previous CJ, PCA and CJSS earlier this month. This afternoon, six individuals were appointed as Court of Appeal judges, namely Shahnaz Sulaiman, Datin Evrol Mariette Peters, Ong Chee Kwan, Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid, Leonard David Shim, and Nadzarin Wok Nordin. Fourteen judicial commissioners were also elevated to High Court judges today, including Maslinda @ Linda Mohd Ainal, Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah, Choong Yeow Choy, Saiful Azian Mokhtar, Evawani Farisyta Mohamad and Indra Nehru Savandiah. Others appointed as High Court judges are Sumathi Murugiah, Moses Susayan, Kan Weng Hin, Wendy Ooi Su Ghee, Mohd Rosli Yusoff, Hazlina Hussain, Roszianayati Ahmad and Mohamad Haldar Abdul Aziz. Among those present at the oath-taking ceremony were former chief justices Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Tun Md Raus Sharif and Tun Arifin Zakaria, as well as Malaysian Bar president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab.
The Star
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Abu Bakar Jais appointed as new court of appeal president
KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais (pic) has been appointed as the new President of the Court of Appeal, replacing Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim who retired on July 3. Abu Bakar, 63, brings with him over three decades of experience in legal and judicial service. He began his judicial career as a Judicial Commissioner at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 8, 2013. He was then appointed as a High Court Judge on March 21, 2016, and served in both the Kuala Lumpur and Seremban High Courts until 2019. On Dec 5, 2019, he was elevated to the Court of Appeal, and later to the Federal Court on June 13, 2023. Born in Muar, Johor, Abu Bakar graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Universiti Malaya (1982-1986) and later obtained a Certificate in Government Legal Advisers Course from the University of London in 1996. His career spans various roles in the legal and judicial sectors, including stints as a law tutor at the International Islamic University Malaysia (1986-1987), Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney General's Chambers and the Anti-Corruption Agency (1987-1990), Magistrate in Ipoh (1990), and Assistant Director at the Legal Aid Bureau (1991). Abu Bakar also served as Federal Counsel in the Civil Division of the Attorney General's Chambers (1992-1995) and as Senior Federal Counsel until 2000. In private practice, he was a litigation partner at Zaid Ibrahim & Co. (2001-2003) and later at Hisham, Sobri & Kadir (2004-2013). Abu Bakar was part of the Federal Court panel in 2023 that ruled on former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's application for a review of his conviction and 12-year prison sentence over the misappropriation of RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd. He also sat on the panel that decided the appeal involving SIS Forum (Malaysia). - Bernama
