Political Past Past Midnight Announcement Mar Wan Farid S Appointment As New Chief Justice

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THAT the Chief Justice post vacancy following the retirement of Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat has finally been filled by Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh does not seem to augur well with some quarters.
According to a statement from the Chief Registrar’s Office, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has consented to Wan Farid’s appointment at the advice of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in accordance with Article 122B(1) of the Federal Constitution.
The 62-yrear-old who was made a Court of Appeal Judge on Nov 12 last year had previously been appointment as a Hugh Court judge on Aug 8, 2019 and a judiciary commissioner 0n Dec 16, 2015.

Also named in the statement are Datuk Abu Bakar Jais who would assume the post of Court of Appeal president and Datuk Azizah Nawawi who has been appointed as the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.
At a glance, the Terengganu-born Wan Farid has experience serving in all three main branches of the government, namely legislative, executive and judicial.
This is given he had served ss a Dewan Negara senator (2005-2009) and deputy home minister (2008-2009) prior to being made a High Court judge in 2019.
However, the sticking point is that he is seen by detractors as not being apolitical in that he was the Kuala Terengganu UMNO deputy chief in 2001 and had even contested in the Kuala Terengganu state by-election in 2009 but lost.
In 2013, Wan Farid, announced that he was retiring from politics.
Previous rulings
Among his notable rulings was recusing himself from hearing an application to allow a Queen’s Counsel (QC) from the UK to represent former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the appeal over the RM42 mil SRC International corruption case.
Back then, Wan Farid cited a conflict of interest, noting that a family member was affiliated with Najib’s political party.
This has apparently given rise to concerns as to whether Wan Farid’s past affiliation with UMNO would have bearing in his future judgment given the fact that “tonnes of Najib cases are coming his way for final appeals” and if “UMNO may have the upper hand here”.
Elsewhere, former DAP Bukit Bintang MP-turned-Madani government critic Wee Choo Keong berated the “past midnight” revelation of Wan Farid’s appointment.
“The announcement was quietly slipped out after midnight at about 12:15am (July 18) on Instagram. In a few minutes it was removed! A few minutes later it was reposted!” he penned on X while praising Wan Farid for having “a good judicial temperament & being a good judge”.

“This is a disgrace. A top judicial appointment deserves transparency, not a stealth drop. Someone, somewhere is making a mockery of this crucial post!”
Moving forward, the presentation of letters of appointment, oath-taking and signing of the oath of office and oath of allegiance ceremony before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will be held on July 28 at Istana Negara. –  Focus Malaysia

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