tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756925775810064328.post8099572110016640498..comments2023-09-05T03:15:55.123-07:00Comments on New Dawn MY Baru: Is outcome of Munawar's appeal indicative of what we can expect from Zaki Azmi...new Boss of the Malaysian JudiciaryMY New Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620839882098764162noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756925775810064328.post-1759749718617689282008-10-30T18:19:00.000-07:002008-10-30T18:19:00.000-07:00Wednesday September 5, 2007Lawyer Zaki to be made ...Wednesday September 5, 2007<BR/>Lawyer Zaki to be made Federal Court judge<BR/>By SHAILA KOSHY<BR/> <BR/>Tan Sri Zaki: No stranger to life in the judiciary <BR/>KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Zaki Tun Azmi will today become the first lawyer to be appointed directly to the Federal Court.<BR/><BR/>The only other lawyer to have bypassed the High Court in Malaysia was Justice Datuk Gopal Sri Ram, who was appointed directly to the Court of Appeal. <BR/><BR/>Both Zaki and Justice Gopal are members of Lincoln’s Inn.<BR/><BR/>According to sources, Zaki, 62, will <BR/><BR/>receive his letter of appointment as a Federal Court judge from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today, along with the President of the Court of Appeal Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohamed and Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Alauddin Mohd Sharif. <BR/><BR/>Several judicial commissioners are expected to be appointed High Court judges as well.<BR/><BR/>A consultant with legal firm Shahrizat Rashid & Lee since September last year, Zaki is no stranger to life in the judiciary; his father Tun Azmi Mohamed was Lord President from 1966 to 1974. <BR/><BR/>Zaki, who studied at Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid in Alor Star, Anderson School in Ipoh and English College in Johor Baru, was called to the English Bar in 1969. <BR/><BR/>He served in various capacities in the Legal and Judicial Services before being called to the Malaysian Bar in December 1983.<BR/><BR/>As senior federal counsel from 1976 to 1984, he was in charge of all legal matters relating to the HomeMinistry, matters affecting the National Security Council and the Refugee Unit. <BR/><BR/>Zaki, who was appointed to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Police Force in 2004, has also served, among others, as Umno Disciplinary (Technical) Committee chairman and Umno Selection Committee secretary. <BR/><BR/>He is also a member of Umno’s Disciplinary Board Appeal panel, the Abandoned Housing Project Scheme and National Sports Council adviser.<BR/><BR/>Zaki, who is married to Puan Sri Nik Sazlina Mohd Zain, was also director of several companies, some of which are listed on Bursa Malaysia.<BR/><BR/>But he has resigned from all his memberships and company positions.<BR/><BR/>Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan welcomed Zaki’s appointment, saying: <BR/><BR/>“Perhaps the recent negative publicity concerning the judiciary has prompted the move; this can be seen as another step taken towards strengthening the judiciary at the highest level, the first being the very welcome appointments of Justice Hamid and Justice Alauddin.”<BR/><BR/>But she said that because of Zaki’s association with Umno and the Government, there might be a perception he would be pro-government.<BR/><BR/>“This is a burden that he will have to bear and dispel but I have every confidence he will be able to discharge his duties well,” she added. <BR/><BR/><BR/>Website - http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/9/5/nation/18783311&sec=nationMY New Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620839882098764162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756925775810064328.post-58390454996315279412008-10-30T18:18:00.000-07:002008-10-30T18:18:00.000-07:00Malaysia's CJ retires; successor not named ...Malaysia's CJ retires; successor not named <BR/>Thursday, 01 November 2007 07:49am <BR/>• Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz retires<BR/>• Rulers to discuss CJ’s position<BR/><BR/>©The Straits Times (Used by permission)<BR/>by Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief<BR/><BR/>Second most senior judge will be acting Chief Justice<BR/><BR/>IN KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S beleaguered Chief Justice, Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, reaches retirement age today, with no word from the government on extension of his term.<BR/><BR/>Several months ago, he was said to have asked to be allowed to stay on for six more months.<BR/><BR/>He turns 66 today - the age of mandatory retirement for judges.<BR/><BR/>It is believed that his request for extension has not received the approval of the King, which is required under the Malaysian Constitution.<BR/><BR/>Under Malaysian law, the second most senior judge - Court of Appeal president Abdul Hamid Mohamad - will automatically assume the post of acting Chief Justice.<BR/><BR/>Datuk Abdul Hamid, 65, is said to be on the list of candidates slated to take over the top judicial post.<BR/><BR/>Sources say that the issue of the new Chief Justice is on the agenda of today's meeting of the country's nine hereditary rulers with Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.<BR/><BR/>The Constitution requires the rulers' consent for judicial appointments.<BR/><BR/>The sultans, who normally do not rock the boat, collectively showed their strength earlier this year when they refused to endorse a government choice for the third most senior judicial post, the Chief Judge of Malaya.<BR/><BR/>This latest turn of events comes in the wake of a scandalous video clip released recently of a lawyer boasting on the phone that he could use his political connections to get judges promoted.<BR/><BR/>Tun Ahmad Fairuz has denied, through the de facto Law Minister Nazri Aziz, that he was on the other end of the line, but speculation continues to rage.<BR/><BR/>This saga has put intense pressure on the government to reform the system of making appointments to the Bench.<BR/><BR/>The Malaysian Bar Council, which represents 12,000 lawyers, also piled on the pressure by calling for a more transparent system of judicial appointments.<BR/><BR/>Just last Friday, a human rights lawyer handed the King a 5,000-signature petition calling for reforms.<BR/><BR/>Even Perak Sultan Azlan Shah joined the call for change - to widespread support from the legal fraternity - when he opened the Malaysian Law Conference on Monday.<BR/><BR/>The government's prolonged delay in making a decision on the succession to the top judicial post underlines the dilemma that it is in.<BR/><BR/>Its next move is being closely watched as a signal of its political will to institute reforms.<BR/><BR/>It thus came as a further blow when Tan Sri Zaki Azmi, said to be a candidate for the Chief Justice's post, came under attack in parliament on Tuesday for being Umno's former top legal adviser.<BR/><BR/>Parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang was quoted in the New Straits Times yesterday as saying that Tan Sri Zaki's appointment would be a prelude to him becoming 'Umno's Chief Justice'.<BR/><BR/>A former senior lawyer, Tan Sri Zaki, 62, was appointed a judge of Malaysia's apex court in September, the first person to be elevated directly to the highest court without having served as a judge in the lower courts.<BR/><BR/>The de facto Law Minister Nazri Aziz came to Tan Sri Zaki's defence in parliament, saying that the judge was only an ordinary Umno member who sat on the disciplinary committee. <BR/> <BR/><BR/>Website - http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/bar_news/berita_badan_peguam/malaysia_s_cj_retires_successor_not_named.htmlMY New Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620839882098764162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1756925775810064328.post-13469445057952816922008-10-30T18:17:00.000-07:002008-10-30T18:17:00.000-07:00Lawyer takes 'second wife' to court Saturda...Lawyer takes 'second wife' to court <BR/>Saturday, 06 August 2005 11:46pm <BR/>©New Straits Times (Used by permission)<BR/>A. Hafiz Yatim <BR/><BR/>KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5: Three months ago, prominent lawyer Tan Sri Zaki Azmi (picture) took a second wife quietly in a ceremony in a textile shop in Perlis. <BR/><BR/>Both he and Nor Hayati Yahaya, 32, agreed to burn the original marriage certificate to hide the marriage from his first wife. <BR/><BR/>They also reached an agreement before the marriage that if the relationship soured, they would let each other go. <BR/><BR/>Nor Hayati told him: "If we cannot get along, you let me go. To this, he replied, 'Yes, but if I cannot get along with you, you let me go also.' <BR/><BR/>The relationship unravelled on July 10. After disagreements and a number of disturbing text messages, he divorced her on that day. <BR/><BR/>Since then, he alleged that he has received various threats from Nor Hayati. She allegedly demanded RM10 million and urged him to register their marriage. Failing which, she allegedly threatened to smear Zaki’s reputation. <BR/><BR/>The Umno disciplinary committee deputy chairman is now seeking a declaration from the Lower Syariah Court here that his second marriage is null and void.<BR/><BR/>Zaki, 60, is also seeking an order that Nor Hayati or her representatives are not allowed to trespass, disturb or threaten him on the matter including by using the mass media. Lower Syariah Court judge Mohd Zaim Mat Yudin today fixed Oct 4 as a mention date.<BR/><BR/>In his statement of claim filed on July 26, Zaki said that Nor Hayati and he were married in May this year in a ceremony presided by a kadi from Thailand.<BR/><BR/>After the ceremony, both the newly-weds signed a form, which was written in Jawi and Thai. <BR/><BR/>He sought legal advice after the divorce and was told that his marriage may not have been legal under the local Syarak and Syariah law.<BR/><BR/>The 59th Federal Territory Consultative meeting states that a marriage performed by a Thai kadi outside his jurisdiction in Thailand is considered void.<BR/> <BR/><BR/>Website - http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/bar_news/berita_badan_peguam/lawyer_takes_second_wife_to_court.htmlMY New Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620839882098764162noreply@blogger.com