New Chief Judge sworn in

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim is the new Chief Judge of Malaya, making her the second woman to hold the post in 11 years after Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob.

“I am honoured to be appointed,” she spoke to the media briefly yesterday.

Zaharah, 65, took her oath of office before senior High Court judge Datuk Su Geok Yiam at the Palace of Justice.

Zaharah is filling in the position left vacant by Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop, who has been appointed as the Court of Appeal president.

The mother of three was officially appointed last week but her swearing-in ceremony was delayed as she was out of the country.

She served in various positions, including as deputy parliamentary draftsman at the Attorney General’s Chambers and Selangor legal adviser, before being appointed a judicial commissioner in 1996.

Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk David Wong, Ahmad and Attorney General Tommy Thomas were present at her swearing-in ceremony yesterday.

Last Wednesday, the nation saw the swearing-in of the ninth Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum.

Malanjum, 65, received his letter of appointment from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V in a ceremony at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur.

Malanjum, who is the former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, replaces Tun Md Raus Sharif.

The country’s first woman to hold the Chief Judge of Malaya position, Siti Norma, held that post from 2005 to 2007.