Move follows royal decree by King to ensure graft cases are resolved fast
PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin (pic) has been appointed to preside over the newly established Special Corruption High Court to ensure the swift resolution of corruption cases.
A recent circular, which was seen by The Star, states that Noor Ruwena will move to her new position on April 1.
The circular, signed by Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Hashim Hamzah, added that Shah Alam High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin will be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur High Court, while Johor Bahru High Court judge Noor Hisham Ismail will take over his post in Shah Alam.
“The Judge shall complete all part-heard cases before this Transfer Order comes into effect.
“If they cannot be completed, the list of part-heard cases must be submitted to me for further instructions, stating the stage of trial of those cases.
“The Officer in Charge of the Responsibility Centre concerned shall submit a Statement of Change in relation to this Placement Order to the relevant parties,” Hashim said in the circular.
The transfer orders have been approved by Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, he added.
On Jan 20, the Federal Court’s Chief Registrar’s Office announced that the judiciary had set up a Special Corruption High Court to hear corruption cases and appeals from the Special Corruption Sessions Courts.
The move was approved by the Chief Judge of Malaya and the Chief Justice.
The setting up of the special court follows a royal decree by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, at the opening of the First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 15th Parliament on Jan 19.
His Majesty had stressed the need for experienced judges and a dedicated pathway to ensure corruption cases are resolved quickly.
The statement from the Federal Court Chief Registrar’s Office also noted that the initiative reflects the judiciary’s commitment to integrity and handling corruption cases efficiently, transparently and effectively.
Currently, 14 Special Corruption Sessions Courts operate nationwide, aiming to resolve each case within a year of registration.
