KING APPOINTS ZAKI AS CHIEF JUSTICE

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The King, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, has
appointed Court of Appeal President Zaki Tun Azmi as the Chief Justice of the
Federal Court, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Wednesday.

He also said that the king has appointed Chief Judge of Malaya Alauddin
Mohd Sheriff as Court of Appeal President and Federal Court Judge Arifin Zakaria
as the Chief Judge of Malaya.

All the appointments are effective Oct 18, he said in a statement.

Abdullah said the king made the appointments acting on his advice and
after
consulting the Conference of Rulers.

He said the Federal Court was in contact with National Palace on setting
the
date for the presentation of the instruments of appointment and the swearing-in
of the judges.

Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad went on mandatory retirement last
week.

Zaki, 63, the son of a former lord president (chief justice), the late Azmi
Mohamed, was appointed a Federal Court judge in September last year and elevated
to Court of Appeal president three months later.

Born in Alor Star on Sept 12 1945, Zaki was educated at the Sultan Abdul
Hamid College in the northern Kedah capital, Anderson School in Ipoh and English
College in Johor Baharu.

He read law at Lincoln's Inn, and became a barrister-at-law in
1969.

Zaki began his career with the Attorney General's Chambers, serving from
December 1969 to 1970 before being appointed a magistrate in Kuala Lumpur in
1970. In 1971, he was appointed president of the Sessions Court in Ipoh.

In 1973, Zaki was appointed a federal counsel at the Drafting Division in
the Attorney General's Chambers and in 1976, a senior federal counsel at the
Ministry of Home Affairs.

Nine years later, Zaki left the judiciary to enter the legal practice as
an
advocate and solicitor at Messrs Shahrizat, Rashid & Lee. In 2006 and 2007, he
served as a consultant as well as an advocate and solicitor.

Zaki has held a number of other positions, including as a member of the
Abandoned Housing Project Scheme Panel and National Sports Panel, the Brains
Trust ISIS for K-Economy, National Sports Council Advisory Panel and a Trustee
of SP Setia Foundation.

He was also an arbitrator in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor and, in 2004, was
appointed to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Police Force.

Zaki was also on the board of public-listed companies, such as Petronas
where he was also a chairman of the audit committee for over 18 years.

On Sept 5 last year, he was appointed a Federal Court judge and on Dec 11
elevated to be president of the Court of Appeal.

Zaki is married to Nik Sazlina Mohd Zain and they have four children --
Dzofrain Azmi, Razif Azmi, Azri Azmi and Azfar Azmi.

When approached, Zaki said he would reserve his comments until after he
was
sworn in.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail welcomed Zaki's
appointment.

"I believe he has the capability to carry out the duties of the highest
position in the judiciary. I also believe he can also improve the judiciary," he
said.

Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan, in a statement, said there had
been concerns in relation to Zaki's political affiliations and business
connections and that "these concerns can only be dispelled by him through the
conduct of his duties and by a demonstration of independence and impartiality at
all times".

The Bar will always defend the independence and integrity of the judiciary
and is ever vigilant that the doctrine of the separation of powers be upheld,"
she said.

"We hope that with these three appointments, the agenda for reform of the
judiciary will be advanced in the interests of the nation.

"We also hope that, among others steps for reform, they will wholeheartedly
support the setting up of a Judicial Appointments Commission that involves all
stakeholders in the justice system," she said.

-- BERNAMA