PUTRAJAYA (March 18): Two senior Court of Appeal (COA) judges Datuk Hanipah Farikullah and Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera were elevated to the country’s apex court, the Federal Court, on Monday.

The pair took their oaths before Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat at a ceremony at the Palace of Justice here.

Prior to that, they received their instruments of appointment before the King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim.

The COA is the final avenue of appeal for cases that originate from the Magistrates and Sessions Courts. It can accommodate up to 32 judges, although five positions are currently vacant.

With Hanipah and Vazeer Alam's elevation on Monday, there are now seven vacancies at the COA level.

Hanipah had been a COA judge since 2018, while Vazeer Alam was appointed in 2019.

Three judicial commissioners (JCs) were also promoted to judges after receiving their instruments of appointment from the King earlier in the day.

Out of the three JCs who were promoted to High Court judges, two were from Sabah and Sarawak, and one from Peninsular Malaysia.

They were: Alexander Siew How Wai, who hails from Sabah, and Amelati Anak Parnell, from Sarawak, and Su Tiang Joo.

Alexander and Amelati took their oaths before the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli. Alexander is stationed at the Kuching High Court while Amelati is based at the Miri High Court.

Su, who is based at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, took his oath before COA president Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, who was recently appointed as the acting chief judge of Malaya (CJM).