It’s official: Malaysia’s judges get 30pc pay hike starting January 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — All of Malaysia’s judges at the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court level will see their monthly salaries increase by 30 per cent from January 1, 2026, a government gazette shows.

This gives effect to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement in his Budget 2026 speech that judges’ salaries would be increased by up to 30 per cent from January 1, 2026, which would be the first such hike since 2015.

In the government gazette published on December 24, it listed the new monthly salaries for eight different ranks and categories of judges starting from next year.

This includes the new monthly salaries for the country’s top four judges: Chief Justice of Malaysia (RM46,800 per month), President of the Court of Appeal (RM40,950), Chief Judge of the High Court in Malaya (RM39,650) and Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak (RM39,650).

The Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak is the only position to receive a 32 per cent hike in monthly salary, as this position will now receive the same amount as the Chief Judge of the High Court in Malaya from next year.

These two judges oversee all the High Court judges in Peninsular Malaysia, and all the High Court judges in Sabah and Sarawak respectively.

The new monthly pay for judges at the Federal Court will be RM37,050, the Court of Appeal (RM35,750), and the High Court (RM34,450).

Judicial commissioners, who perform the same duties as High Court judges but have not been given permanent roles at the High Court, will be paid RM33,150 per month starting next year.

The government gazette was issued by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on December 18.

The gazette states that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong made the new regulations on the monthly salaries for judges after consulting the Chief Justice, and that the Agong had exercised his powers under the Judges’ Remuneration Act 1971’s Section 19 to enact these regulations. 

The new regulations are known as the Judges’ Remuneration (Amendment of First and Fifth Schedules) Regulations 2025.

In other words, the regulations amend the First Schedule (which lists the monthly salaries for the top four judges and judges from the Federal Court to High Court) and the Fifth Schedule (which states the monthly salary for judicial commissioners) in the Judges’ Remuneration Act.

The last salary hike for Malaysia’s judges was on July 1, 2015.

In his Budget 2026 speech on October 10, Anwar noted that judges have not enjoyed annual salary increments since 2015 unlike those in the civil service, and that judges are prohibited from holding positions or engaging in business activities.

Anwar had said the government agreed to increase judges’ salaries in recognition of this, and also in acknowledgment that the judiciary has made commendable strides towards greater integrity, independence and authority.