Remember your judicial oath, new CJ reminds probationary judges

New Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat (front row, fourth from left) with the judicial commissioners who took their oath of office today. Next to Tengku Maimun (in white tudung) is Chief Judge of Malaya Zaharah Ibrahim and on the right is Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak David Wong Dak Wah.

PETALING JAYA: New Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat today reminded 11 new judicial commissioners to always remember their oath of office in carrying out their judicial functions.

She said they must perform their duties with independence, impartiality and with efficiency.

The judicial commissioners took their oath of office before Chief Judge of Malaya Zaharah Ibrahim and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak David Wong Dak Wah.

Tengku Maimun told reporters she reminded them that justice must not only be seen to be done but it must be done.

“I wished them all the best,” said Tengku Maimun, whose appointment was announced in a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday.

The statement said her appointment was effective yesterday.

However, she is expected to receive her appointment letter and take her oath of office before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong early next week.

Asked whether she was surprised by her appointment as the first female judge to lead the judiciary, she said: “All praise to the Almighty. Allahamdullilah.”

Tengku Maimun, 59, said she will issue a statement after taking her oath of office.

She is the youngest to assume the top post, after Suffian Mohamed Hashim, who became chief justice at the are in 57 in 1974. Suffian was CJ until 1982.

Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.

Tengku Maimun, who was appointed a judicial commissioner at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in 2006, was confirmed as a High Court judge in 2007 and a Court of Appeal judge in 2013.

She was appointed a Federal Court judge on Nov 26 last year.

The judicial commissioners appointed today are former Federal Court chief registrar Latifah Mohd Tahar and former head of the civil division in the Attorney-General’s Chambers Amarjeet Singh.

Others are Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud, Duncan Sikodol, K Muniandy, Shahnaz Sulaiman, Evrol Mariettte Peters, Christopher Chin Soon Yin, Ong Chee Kuan, Maidzuara Mohammed and Radzi Abdul Hamid.

They will be on a maximum two-year probation before the Judicial Appointments Commission evaluates whether to confirm them as High Court judges. - FMT