KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais 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 RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.
He also sat on the panel that decided the appeal involving SIS Forum (Malaysia). - Bernama
