Gender equality in legal field not to diminish anyone, says CJ

 

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat was elected the first female president of the Asean Law Association in its 45-year history in October 2023.

PETALING JAYA: 

Pushing for gender equality in the legal profession is not about sidelining one gender in favour of another, but simply ensuring an even playing field in the vocation, says Malaysia’s top judge.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, the president of the Asean Law Association (ALA), said gender equality promotes an inclusive legal profession that allows practitioners to perform based on merit.

“I must emphasise that our vision for gender equality in the legal profession is not intended to isolate or diminish the role of any gender.

“Rather, it aspires to foster an inclusive legal landscape where all individuals can thrive based on merit, and free from gender-based constraints,” she said in opening the 45th ALA governing council meeting in Cebu, Philippines, yesterday.

Tengku Maimun broke barriers by becoming the first woman to lead Malaysia’s judiciary in May 2019.

She was made a judicial commissioner at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in 2006 before working her way to becoming a Federal Court judge, prior to her appointment as chief justice.

Tengku Maimun made history again in October 2023 by being elected the first female president of the ALA in its 45-year history.

At the ALA council meeting, she mooted the formation of a standing committee for women in law under the association, which would mark another first for women in the regional legal group.

She said this panel would actively engage male “allies” in its initiatives, underscoring that gender equality is a collective concern and that meaningful progress towards inclusion and empowerment would benefit the entire profession.

Tengku Maimun also proposed that the ALA set up a lecture series for the legal fraternity to exchange ideas on current legal issues.

She said this would be a dynamic platform for legal experts to engage in meaningful discussions on contemporary legal issues, fostering knowledge sharing and strengthening regional cooperation among Asean member states.

“More fundamentally, this would nurture camaraderie and collaboration among legal professionals across Asean, reinforcing the understanding that despite our diverse legal systems and cultural backgrounds, we can find common ground in our shared commitment to justice and the rule of law.”

Both proposals received unanimous support and endorsement from all 10 Asean nations’ ALA national law committees.

It was also agreed that Malaysia would host the inaugural ALA lecture series and lead the first-ever standing committee dedicated to women in law. - FMT