KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, officially appointed Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the new Chief Justice in a ceremony held at Istana Negara.
The 62-year-old took his oath of office and loyalty at the Small Throne Room, marking the beginning of his tenure as the nation’s top judicial officer.
Wan Ahmad Farid, previously a Court of Appeal judge, also received his instrument of appointment as a Federal Court Judge.
The event was attended by key government figures, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, as well as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The ceremony also saw the appointment of Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as President of the Court of Appeal and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. Additionally, eight Court of Appeal Judges and 14 High Court Judges were sworn in.
Wan Ahmad Farid succeeds Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who retired on July 2.
His appointment follows Clause (1) of Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, with the King’s consent based on the Prime Minister’s advice and consultation with the Conference of Rulers.
With a distinguished legal career spanning decades, Wan Ahmad Farid holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of West London and a Certificate in Legal Practice from Universiti Malaya.
He began his career as an advocate and solicitor in Kuala Terengganu before transitioning into public service, including roles as political secretary to former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Home Minister. – Bernama
