Hashim Hamzah sworn in as 15th Chief Judge of Malaya

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 3 — Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Hashim Hamzah today took the oath of office and allegiance as the Chief Judge of Malaya.

Hashim, 64, was sworn in as the country’s 15th Chief Judge of Malaya (CJM) in a ceremony at the Palace of Justice here.

Hashim fills in the role following Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim’s retirement.

Hasnah had reached the mandatory retirement age for judges in Malaysia when she turned 66 on May 15 this year, but her tenure was extended by six months — which is allowed under the Federal Constitution — until November 15.

Her last day in office was November 14.

Hashim began his career in 1985 as a magistrate in the Kuala Lumpur courts. 

He then held roles as Sessions Court and High Court judge until he was appointed as the Appeals Court Judge on March 19, 2021 until today.

Also taking the oath of office and allegiance were Federal Court judges Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, Datuk Azimah Omar and Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

All four had previously served as Court of Appeal judges.

Che Mohd Ruzima, 64, began his career in 1985 as a magistrate in the Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, and Johor Bahru courts. 

He then was a public prosecutor in Penang before his appointment as the Sessions Court Judge in Temerloh, Pahang in 2013. 

He was appointed as High Court judge in Ipoh in March 2016 before moving to the Shah Alam High Court from 2018 until 2020. 

In March 2020 he was appointed as the Court of Appeals judge until today.

Nazlan, 58, was the former Head and General Manager Enforcement Division Securities Commission of Kuala Lumpur from 1998 until 2020. 

From 2000 until 2005, he was partner in law firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co before becoming head Group Corporate & Legal Services/Group General Counsel & Company Secretary for Maybank, a post he held until 2015.

In January 2017 he became High Court judge in Kuala Lumpur before becoming the Court of Appeal judge in 2022.

Collin, 65, began his career as a lawyer in 1986. 

On June 20, 2014, he was appointed as Judicial Commissioner at the Shah Alam High Court.

He held the same role for the Penang High Court from 2015-2016, then Johor from 2016-2017 before becoming the High Court judge in Johor from 2017 until 2018.

He then moved to the Kuala Lumpur High Court from 2018 until 2023 before his appointment as appeals court judge on January 17, 2023.

Azimah, 63, was Magistrate Court judge in Klang from 1986 until 1989. 

She held the same role in Rawang (1992) and Sungai Petani, Kedah (1993). 

She was appointed as Sessions Court judge in Kuala Lumpur from 2001 until 2005 before moving to the Shah Alam court from 2005 to 2008.

She was the Registrar of the Court of Appeal from 2009 until 2013, and Chief Registrar for the Federal Court from 2013-2014. 

She was then High Court judge in the Shah Alam and Kuala Lumpur courts until 2023 before her appointment as Court of Appeals judge in 2023.

Earlier today, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, granted an audience and presented instruments of appointment to the five judges at Istana Negara.

The ceremony, held at Bilik Singgahsana Kecil (Small Throne Room), began with the presentation of the instrument of appointment to Hashim. 

The ceremony was also attended by Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad were also in attendance.