KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, today presented the instrument of appointment as chief justice to Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh at Istana Negara here.
Wan Farid, 62, also took his oath of office during the ceremony.
Court of Appeal judge Wan Farid was also presented with an instrument of appointment as a Federal Court judge.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
His Majesty also presented instruments of appointment to Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as Court of Appeal president and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as Sabah and Sarawak chief judge, followed by the appointment of eight Court of Appeal judges and 14 High Court judges.
Wan Farid replaces Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who retired July 2.
The appointment was made in line with Clause (1) of Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, with His Majesty’s consent on the advice of the prime minister and after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.
Abu Bakar, 63, meanwhile, is filling the vacancy of the Court of Appeal president post after the retirement of Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim on July 3, while Azizah, 63, replaces Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli, who retired July 24.
Wan Farid, who holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of West London and obtained a Certificate in Legal Practice (Hons) from Universiti Malaya in 1986, began his legal career as an advocate and solicitor with Messrs Adnan & Wee in Kuala Terengganu, serving from 1987 to 2003.
Beyond his legal career, Wan Farid has been active in public administration and politics, having served as political secretary to former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi from 2003 to 2008, before being appointed deputy home minister from 2008 to 2009.
He returned to legal practice between 2011 and 2015 as a partner at Messrs Wan Farid & Surin in Kuala Lumpur before being appointed judicial commissioner, serving in the Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bharu High Courts from 2015 to 2019.
He was then elevated to High Court judge from 2019 to 2024, with postings in Kota Bharu, Shah Alam (Special Powers Division) and Kuala Lumpur (Special Powers Division 3).
— Bernama
