Zaharah second woman Chief Judge of Malaya
PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim was sworn in as the new Chief Judge of Malaya here yesterday.
Zaharah, 65, is the second woman to hold the position after Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob, who served from 2005 to 2007.
She fills one of the top four positions in the Judiciary, replacing Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop, who was appointed as President of the Court of Appeal.
“I am honoured to be appointed”, she told reporters.
Zaharah took her oath of office before High Court senior judge Datuk Su Geok Yiam at the Palace of Justice.
Also present were Ahmad Maarop and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk David Wong Dak Wah.
Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum was not present, as he was at Parliament.
According to a press release issued by the Corporate Communications Unit in the Chief Registrar’s Office of the Federal Court, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V had consented to Zaharah’s appointment as Chief Judge of Malaya, effective July 11, 2018.
Zaharah was born in Johor Bahru, Johor and received her early education at SK Bandar Pontian, Johor, before heading to Sekolah Tun Fatimah, Johor Bahru, where she studied until Form Six.
She continued her studies at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree in 1977.
On August 1, 2004, Zaharah was appointed as Judicial Commissioner and commenced duties as a superior court judge in the Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam High Courts.
She was made a Court of Appeal judge on April 14, 2010, and subsequently appointed as Federal Court Judge on Feb 16, 2015.
Zaharah is married to Datuk Mohamed Arsad Sehan and they have three children.
On July 12, Ahmad was sworn in as President of the Court of Appeal while Wong was sworn in as the new Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.