Court of Appeal President pledges his best

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, who took his oath of office today for a two-year term as Court of Appeal President, has pledged to carry out his duties “to the best of my ability”. He said his appointment for two years as additional judge was sufficient to put things in proper perspective and that he would try to carry on the good work of his predecessor, Tun Md Raus Sharif, who is now the Chief Justice.
"My target is towards achieving disposal of cases on current basis," he said, adding, current basis meant that a court case should be cleared in one year or less from the date it was filed.
Later speaking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony held at Bilik Kunjung at the Chief Justice’s Office, Zulkefli, 66, said if he took three years extension as additional judge, he would be retiring at the same time as Raus.
"I think the two years is just nice. If it were to be three years, same time like Raus, then both of us who are about a month difference in age, would be retiring the same time. So by me taking two years, I think there is a break of one year to the line of succession," he said.
The judiciary's other top serving judges are Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, 64, who is Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak and Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop, 64, who is Chief Judge of Malaya.
Zulkefli took his oath of office before Court of Appeal senior judge Datuk Wira Mohtarudin Baki, which was witnessed by Raus. Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali was also present at the ceremony.
On April 1 of this year, Raus and Zulkefli were appointed to their current positions when Tun Arifin Zakaria went on mandatory retirement at 66. On July 7 this year, Raus and Zulkefli were appointed additional judges for three years and two years respectively, so that they could continue serving in their current positions.
They were supposed to retire on Aug 3 and Sept 27, respectively, after a six-month extension upon turning 66.

Zulkefli said he knew the appellate court judges well and their capabilities because as Chief Judge of Malaya for five years he was in charge of the high court judges and some of the judges were elevated to the Court of Appeal.
He foresees that one day a woman judge would hold the top post, based on the current composition of the Court of Appeal, where female judges slightly outnumber male judges.
He said the four women judges who were elevated on Monday, one to the Federal Court and three to the Court of Appeal, had overtaken quite a number of senior male judges, “which showed that their promotion was based on merit."
Zulkefli cited as an example, Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob who previously held the post of Chief Judge of Malaya.
Meanwhile, he also welcomed the proposal to extend the mandatory retirement age of judges to 70 years, “but it should only be for judges at the Federal Court or Court of Appeal level and should not apply for High Court judges."

Zulkefli said in the course of his career as a judge that he would not forget the "Al Maunah treason case” he presided over when he was a High Court judge in 2001.
In that case he said 28 accused persons charged with waging war against the King, had entered the army camp and took weapons, and set up camp in Bukit Jenalik, Perak and exchanged gunfire with security forces.
He said he also wrote close to 100 judgments of the Federal Court. — Bernama