New COA President, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak elevated along with six COA judges, 14 High Court judges

Saturday 24 Oct 2026

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PUTRAJAYA (July 28): New Court of Appeal (COA) President Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and new Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi were sworn in on Monday, along with six COA judges and 14 Judicial Commissioners (JCs).

Abu Bakar, 63, took his oath before the current senior-most COA judge, Datuk P Ravinthran, while Datuk Azizah Nawawi, 63, took her oath before the senior-most Sarawak judge at the moment, Dean Wayne Daly.

Azizah is believed to be the first woman to take on the role of the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

Newly appointed Chief Justice (CJ) Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, 62, took his oath before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, earlier in the morning.

Former CJs present at ceremony

Present during Monday's elevation ceremony were some former CJs, Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Tun Md Raus Sharif and Tun Arifin Zakaria.

Also present were a host of current Federal Court and COA judges.

The new top judges are taking over positions left vacant due to the recent retirements of Tengku Maimun, former COA President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, and former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli.

Both Tengku Maimun and Abang Iskandar, who retired in early July, were not given the conventional six-month extension usually granted to Federal Court judges. Abdul Rahman retired on July 24, following the end of his six-month extension.

Six High Court judges also took their oaths as newly elevated COA judges on Monday. They were Shahnaz Sulaiman (62), Datin Paduka Evrol Mariette Peters (57), Ong Chee Kwan (61), Datuk Radzi Abdul Hamid (62), Leonard David Shim (59), and Datuk Nadzarin Wok Nordin (62).

From left: Chief Justice Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, Court of Appeal President Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi (Photo credit: www.kehakiman.gov.my)

Newly elevated Court of Appeal judge Shahnaz Sulaiman

Newly elevated Court of Appeal judge Datin Paduka Evrol Mariette Peters

Newly elevated Court of Appeal judge Ong Chee Kwan

Newly elevated Court of Appeal judge Datuk Radzi Abdul Hamid

Newly elevated Court of Appeal judge Leonard David Shim

Newly elevated Court of Appeal judge Datuk Nadzarin Wok Nordin

Newly confirmed High Court judge Maslinda @ Linda Ainal

Newly confirmed High Court judge Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah

Newly confirmed High Court judge Choong Yeow Choy

Newly confirmed High Court judge Saiful Azian Mokhtar

Newly confirmed High Court judge Evawani Farisyta Mohamad

Newly confirmed High Court judge S Indra Nehru

Newly confirmed High Court judge M Sumathi

Newly confirmed High Court judge Moses Susayan

Newly confirmed High Court judge Kan Weng Hin

Newly confirmed High Court judge Wendy Ooi

Newly confirmed High Court judge Rosli Yusoff

Newly confirmed High Court judge Hazlina Hussain

Newly confirmed High Court judge Roszianayati Ahmad

Newly confirmed High Court judge Haldar Abdul Aziz

Former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat is also present during Monday's elevation ceremony. (Photo by Shahrill Basri/The Edge)

Fourteen JCs were promoted to High Court judges. They were Maslinda @ Linda Ainal (50), Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah (59), Choong Yeow Choy (62), Saiful Azian Mokhtar (53), Evawani Farisyta Mohamad (51), S Indra Nehru (61), M Sumathi (56), Moses Susayan (57), Kan Weng Hin (63), Wendy Ooi (54), Rosli Yusoff (53), Hazlina Hussain (58), Roszianayati Ahmad (56) and Haldar Abdul Aziz (60).

Edited ByAniza Damis

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