00:00 Sources say the inability to immediately fill the vacant posts of Chief Judge of Malaya,
00:07 the third highest position in the judicial hierarchy, suggests there is no prime candidate
00:11 for the position.
00:12 A source told FMT that the Judicial Appointments Commission initially sent the name of one
00:18 candidate to the Prime Minister's Department for consideration, and then two more, as allowed
00:23 under the JAC Act 2009.
00:25 However, the source said the names of relatively junior judges were submitted.
00:31 As a result, the appointment of the new Chief Judge of Malaya was not on the agenda at the
00:35 recently concluded Conference of Rulers.
00:38 The source said the post could go to any one of the current federal court judges now.
00:42 Of the 11 federal court judges, Justice Nalini Padmanadan is the most senior, having been
00:48 elevated to the Apex Courts bench in November 2018.
00:51 She was bypassed for the position of Chief Justice of Malaya in January last year by
00:56 Justice Zabidin Diya, who was appointed a federal court judge in February 2022.
01:02 After Nalini, Justices Zaharia Yusuf and Hassan Hashim are the most senior, with both promoted
01:07 to the federal court in December 2019.
01:10 Of the three, Zaharia will have to retire in October 2025, Hassan the following month,
01:16 and Nalini in February 2026.
01:18 However, this is on the basis that their appointments are extended a further six months once they
01:23 reach the age of 66.
01:25 (gentle music)
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