KUALA LUMPUR – Lawyers and a former judge have expressed confidence in Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh’s appointment as chief justice, saying his judicial integrity and impartiality should not be overshadowed by his past political ties.
They also said that his past political affiliations should not be used to judge his performance, as he has consistently demonstrated independence and integrity on the bench.
Wan Ahmad Farid, 62, was officially confirmed as chief justice just after midnight. According to the Chief Registrar of the Courts, his appointment was made under Clause (1) of Article 122B of the Federal Constitution. Prior to this, he served as a judge of the Court of Appeal.
Prominent lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who has appeared before Wan Ahmad Farid in several cases, praised the new chief justice as “one of the better judges we have”, commending his sharpness and judicial temperament.
“He is serious when it comes to the matter, but at the right time, when there is a need, he will enlighten the court by cracking jokes and making it lively. So, he has a brilliant disposition as a judge,” Haniff told Scoop.
“Honestly, I am not saying this just because he has been announced as a CJ now. But I never found any of those (appointment) decisions could even be questioned because of his (current or) previous political standing. None of his decisions are based on any political sides.”
Haniff also pointed to Wan Ahmad Farid’s decision in 2022 to recuse himself from a case involving British King’s Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw, who had been appointed to represent former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the SRC International criminal trial.
“He is one of the better judges we have. So to me, his background of politics is his background of politics – but he is brave enough to come to the judiciary because he believes he knows how to handle judicial atmosphere without having a hint of politics. That’s how I believe he’s going to be (as a chief justice),” he added.
Wan Ahmad Farid, who was a High Court judge at the time, recused himself from the Laidlaw case, citing his former political links and a family member’s active involvement in Umno – a move which the Bar Council later described as a mark of his integrity and awareness of institutional credibility.
Wan Ahmad Farid previously served as political secretary to former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and was an Umno member.
He left politics in 2013 after a brief tenure as deputy home minister from 2008 to 2009 and a four-year stint as a senator.
He also contested the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election in 2009 under the Barisan Nasional ticket but was defeated by PAS’s Abdul Wahid Endut.
‘He has the integrity for the job’
Echoing Haniff’s sentiments, retired Court of Appeal judge Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer said Wan Ahmad Farid’s former political career should not be a concern, highlighting instead his impressive service record as a lawyer and judge over nearly a decade.
Speaking to Scoop, Hamid Sultan said those who know Wan Ahmad Farid personally would describe him as a pleasant individual with the integrity and administrative capabilities needed to effectively manage all levels of the judiciary.
“The public must understand the CJ post is administrative in nature and he also sits as a Federal Court judge,” he said. “His job as a Federal Court judge is a simple one – (where he) just has to sit in the coram who will have subject matter expertise and listen to submission and deliver his grounds or concur with the views of others.
“A productive CJ will make sure all the coram members write their grounds in important cases, to ensure accountability and transparency to the public.”
Hamid Sultan also drew parallels with former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi – who previously served as Umno’s legal adviser – praising Zaki’s administrative skills and judicial performance.
He added that he hopes Wan Ahmad Farid will set an example by encouraging all judges in the coram to write their own judgments rather than allowing the chief justice alone to sign off on them as the court’s opinion.
Appointments of top judges welcomed
Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam lauded Wan Ahmad Farid’s appointment, describing him as a judge with “great judicial temperament” whose written decisions are “always comprehensive”.
“He also has sizable patience when hearing arguments and submissions from lawyers,” he added.
The judiciary also announced that Datuk Abu Bakar Jais will succeed Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim as president of the Court of Appeal, while Datuk Azizah Nawawi will replace Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. Their swearing-in is scheduled for July 28 at Istana Negara.
Haniff welcomed Azizah’s elevation, highlighting her sharpness, judicial acumen, and positive disposition. Hamid Sultan also praised both Abu Bakar and Azizah, noting their records of writing strong dissenting judgments as evidence of their integrity and independence.
“Malaysians are fortunate to have the three top judges and be thankful to the rulers for the right choice,” he said.
Haniff also responded to concerns over the promotion of appellate judges to the Federal Court, which some fear could disrupt existing dynamics.
He dismissed such worries, saying the newly elevated judges are well aware of their responsibilities, and that the Conference of Rulers has exercised wisdom in their appointments.
Judicial appointments settled
Both Haniff and Rajan expressed relief that the recent appointments had brought closure to the judiciary’s leadership issue, which had caused unease in recent weeks.
“The legal fraternity looks forward to their wisdom and guidance in their judicial pronouncements,” said Rajan.
Haniff added: “I never like to congratulate anybody (as) congratulations is a reward. (But) these (appointments) are not a reward – but a responsibility and a duty to the country.
“…and I pray and I hope they will do that – and I believe these practitioners will be able to do that.” – July 18, 2025