Putrajaya: Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais took his oath of office and loyalty today as the new President of the Court of Appeal, while Datuk Azizah Nawawi made history as the first woman appointed Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. Abu Bakar, 63, replaces Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, who retired on July 3, while Azizah, also 63 and originally from Sibu, Sarawak, succeeds Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli, who retired on July 24.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Abu Bakar, from Muar, Johor, took his oath of office and loyalty before senior Court of Appeal judge Datuk P Ravinthran. Meanwhile, Azizah was sworn in before Dean Wayne Daly, the most senior judge in Sabah and Sarawak.

Six High Court judges and 14 Judicial Commissioners were also elevated today in a ceremony witnessed by newly appointed Chief Justice Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh and Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim. The six newly sworn-in Court of Appeal judges are Dr Shahnaz Sulaiman, Datin Paduka Evrol Mariette Peters, Ong Chee Kwan, Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid, Leonard David Shim, and Nadzarin Wok Nordin.

The 14 Judicial Commissioners confirmed as High Court judges are Maslinda @ Linda Mohd Ainal, Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah, Dr Choong Yeow Choy, Saiful Azian Mokhtar, Evawani Farisyta Mohammad, S. Indra Nehru, M. Sumathi, Moses Susayan, Kan Weng Hin, Dr Wendy Ooi Su Ghee, Mohd Rosli Yusoff, Dr Hazlina Hussain, Roszianayati Ahmad, and Mohamad Haldar Abdul Aziz. All appointments take effect today.

Among those present at the ceremony, held at the Palace of Justice here, were former Chief Justices Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Tun Md Raus Sharif, and Tun Arifin Zakaria, as well as Malaysian Bar president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab.