PUTRAJAYA: The newly sworn-in Chief Justice Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria has pledged to continue with the agenda of reform in the judiciary undertaken by his predecessor.
In his maiden speech, Arifin said he was thankful to Tun Zaki Azmi for implementing the changes which had set an excellent benchmark in the judiciary.
“I will try to follow his (Tun Zaki) footsteps and, hopefully, I will not disappoint him,” he said during the ceremony at the Palace of Justice here.
Arifin, who succeeded Zaki after he retired on Sept 9, said it was his mission to continue with the achievements, adding that existing reforms would also be reinforced.
“Several measures and new approaches will also be introduced to improve the delivery and implementation of the justice system in our country,” he added.
Arifin said that although the current level of achievements in the judiciary was very encouraging, one could not be satisfied.
“We must strive to improve our performance, not only in the number of cases disposed of but also in terms of quality. I would like to urge judges, judicial officers and support staff to work even harder to uphold the judicial institution in the country.”
Arifin said he proposed to set up a body to train judges and judicial officers, similar to those in other countries.
He added that a draft of rules for the combined rules of court for both the High Court and lower courts were being finalised by a committee.
“The new measures will simplify and facilitate civil procedures in the courts,” he said.
He said the quantum for civil jurisdiction in the Sessions Court had also been increased from RM250,000 to RM1mil while in the magistrate’s court, from RM25,000 to RM100,000.
“The increase was made due to the drop in the currency value as well as to overcome the backlog of cases in the High Court,” he said, adding that it would be implemented after the Government’s approval for an increase in staff.
2012 Bar Council Subscription Click the link above to download Circular 072/2012 pertaining to the 2012 Bar Council subscription, including the payment guide and a set of Frequently-Asked-Questions.
2012 Hotel Corporate Rates Attending seminars? Going for a holiday? Click on the link above to check out the list of hotel corporate rates for Members of the Bar, which is updated regularly.
Bar Council Bookshop Read MORE … but pay LE$$! Members enjoy a 20% discount on LexisNexis publications at the Bar Council Bookshop. Click on the link above for the list of available titles.
International Malaysia Law Conference (26 to 28 Sept 2012) Hurry up! The countdown continues and the current promotion rate ends 30 June 2012. Don't miss what is going to be the best conference in the region! On top of that, if you sign up with 5 or more people from the same organisation, we will give you a 10% group discount. Click on the link above to register.
Talk on Summary Judgement (25 May 2012) Organised by the Selangor Bar Committee, this talk will take place at 5:00 pm, at the Selangor Bar Committee Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). The talk will be conducted by Ramesh Supramanian. Click on the link above for more details.
Seminar on Tax Issues in Financial Transactions (25 May 2012) Organised by the Kuala Lumpur Bar Professional Development Committee, this seminar, featuring S Saravana Kumar, will take place at 3:00 pm, at the Kuala Lumpur Bar Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). Click on the link above for more details.
Dialogue with Criminal Law Practitioners (26 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council, this dialogue will take place at 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, at the Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium, Bar Council, on 26 May 2012 (Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
Conference on Competition Law (31 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council with the support of LexisNexis, this conference will take place at 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, at Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, on 31 May 2012 (Thursday). For more details or to register, please contact Vilashini Vijayan (03-2050 2095; vila@malaysianbar.org.my). Click on the link above for more details.
Talk on What Clients Want (7 June 2012) Organised by the KL Bar Practitioners' Affairs Committee, the talk, presented by Ong Eu Jin, will take place at 5:00 pm, at the KL Bar Auditorium, on 7 June 2012 (Thursday). Click on the link above for more details.
4th LAWASIA Family Law Conference, Penang (13 and 14 July 2012) Supported by Penang Bar Committee and the Malaysian Bar, this conference, themed “The New Global Family: Emerging Trends and Challenges to Family Practice”, will take place at Traders Hotel, Penang, on 13 and 14 July 2012 (Friday and Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
News 
©The Star (Used by permission)
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Circular No 109/2012: Be a Part of the Bar Council Constitutional Law Committee
