PUTRAJAYA: Former head of the Civil Division in the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), Datuk Donald Joseph Franklin, was among 23 individuals appointed as Judicial Commissioners (JC) on Wednesday (Aug 13).
Also appointed was J.Kuldeep Kumar, the lawyer who previously defended former chief inspector Azilah Hadri, one of two individuals convicted of the 2006 murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Kuldeep, 55, was also involved in Azilah's review application last year to commute his death sentence to a 40-year prison term.
Meanwhile, Donald, 59, had previously held various posts, including deputy head of the Research Division and deputy head of Division I of the Civil Division in the AGC, before he was appointed as head of the Civil Division.
Others included Datin Asmah Musa, head of the Trials Unit in the AGC's Appellate and Trials Division; former Malaysian Bar president (2019 and 2020) Datuk Abdul Fareed Gafoor and deputy head II of the prosecution division at the AGC, Syed Faisal Syed Amir.
A total of 13 lawyers, including Kuldeep and Abdul Fareed, were appointed as Judicial Commissioners.
They are Isa Aziz Ibrahim, Dr Seow Hock Peng, Shahriza Zalina Abdul Shukor, Helmi Hamzah, Rajes Raghavji, Datuk Mohd Aimi Zaini Mohd Azhar, Samry Masri, Moh Kok Wai, Shamsul Bahrin Abdul Manaf, Datuk Muhammad Adam @ Edward Abdullah and Avinder Singh Gill.
The others are the former head of the Advisory Board in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Khamsiah @ Anita binti Harun, D. Shoba Rajah, S. Kalyana Kumar, Darmafikri Abu Adam, Manira Mohd Nor, Datuk Edwin Paramjothy and Dr Noradura Hamzah.
The appointment letters were presented by Chief Justice Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh during a ceremony at the Palace of Justice today.
The Judicial Commissioners took their oath of office and allegiance before Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim.
Also present at the ceremony were Court of Appeal President Datuk Abu Bakar Jais, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi, and Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar. – Bernama
