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©The Star (Used by permission)
by Shaila Koshy

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Zaki Tun Azmi will today become the first lawyer to be appointed directly to the Federal Court.

The only other lawyer to have bypassed the High Court in Malaysia was Justice Datuk Gopal Sri Ram, who was appointed directly to the Court of Appeal.

Both Zaki and Justice Gopal are members of Lincoln’s Inn.

According to sources, Zaki, 62, will receive his letter of appointment as a Federal Court judge from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today, along with the President of the Court of Appeal Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohamed and Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Alauddin Mohd Sharif.

Several judicial commissioners are expected to be appointed High Court judges as well.

A consultant with legal firm Shahrizat Rashid & Lee since September last year, Zaki is no stranger to life in the judiciary; his father Tun Azmi Mohamed was Lord President from 1966 to 1974.

Zaki, who studied at Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid in Alor Star, Anderson School in Ipoh and English College in Johor Baru, was called to the English Bar in 1969.

He served in various capacities in the Legal and Judicial Services before being called to the Malaysian Bar in December 1983.

As senior federal counsel from 1976 to 1984, he was in charge of all legal matters relating to the HomeMinistry, matters affecting the National Security Council and the Refugee Unit.

Zaki, who was appointed to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Police Force in 2004, has also served, among others, as Umno Disciplinary (Technical) Committee chairman and Umno Selection Committee secretary.

He is also a member of Umno’s Disciplinary Board Appeal panel, the Abandoned Housing Project Scheme and National Sports Council adviser.

Zaki, who is married to Puan Sri Nik Sazlina Mohd Zain, was also director of several companies, some of which are listed on Bursa Malaysia.

But he has resigned from all his memberships and company positions.

Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan welcomed Zaki’s appointment, saying:

“Perhaps the recent negative publicity concerning the judiciary has prompted the move; this can be seen as another step taken towards strengthening the judiciary at the highest level, the first being the very welcome appointments of Justice Hamid and Justice Alauddin.”

But she said that because of Zaki’s association with Umno and the Government, there might be a perception he would be pro-government.

“This is a burden that he will have to bear and dispel but I have every confidence he will be able to discharge his duties well,” she added.

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