PETALING JAYA: Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh has been appointed as Malaysia’s new Chief Justice with immediate effect.
According to a statement from the Office of the Federal Court Chief Registrar, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, consented to the appointment.
The decision was made on the advice of the prime minister and after consultation with the Conference of Rulers, in line with Article 122B(1) of the Federal Constitution.
The announcement ends weeks of speculation over who would fill the top judicial post, which had remained vacant since former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat retired on July 2.
In the same statement released today (midnight), it was announced that Datuk Abu Bakar Jais has been appointed as President of the Court of Appeal, while Datuk Hajah Azizah Nawawi has been named Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak, replacing the outgoing Chief Judge who will be retiring.
The swearing-in and presentation of the letter of appointment before the King will be held on July 28 at Istana Negara.
Wan Ahmad Farid, 62, was born on Nov 13, 1962, in Kuala Terengganu.
He was appointed as a Judge of the Court of Appeal on Nov 12, 2024, after serving as a High Court Judge for more than five years since Aug 8, 2019.
He began his judicial career as a Judicial Commissioner on Dec 16, 2015.
Before joining the judiciary, Wan Ahmad Farid was active in politics. He served as a Senator from 2005 to 2009 and was Home Deputy Minister between March 19, 2008, and April 9, 2009.
He also contested the Kuala Terengganu by-election in 2009 before retiring from politics in 2013.
His appointment comes amid a brief leadership vacuum within the judiciary, which drew concern from various quarters about stability and continuity at the highest level of the nation’s legal system.
