Malaysia First Woman Chief Justice

Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat yesterday became the first woman in Malaysia history to head the country's judiciary as the top judge in the position of chief justice (formerly known as lord president).

But who is Tengku Maimun and what is she known for?

Here are some quick facts about Tengku Maimun: A 59-year-old mother of four hailing from Kota Baru, Kelantan and with a long legal and judicial career since graduating from Universiti Malaya in 1982 with a law degree.

Having worked in Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Tengku Maimun then went on to the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya when she was appointed as a Court of Appeal judge on January 8, 2013 before being elevated slightly over five years later as a Federal Court judge last November 26.

Since January 2013, Tengku Maimun has presided together with other judges at the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court over multiple high-profile cases.

Relatively 'young' - Unlike her more senior predecessors in the past decade who all had relatively short tenures save for Tun Arifin Zakaria who served for five years and six months, Tengku Maimun is now the chief justice exactly two months before she turns 60 years old.

What this means is that Tengku Maimun can continue to serve as a judge for another six years until July 2, 2025 when she hits the retirement age of 66, and can subsequently provide further service for an additional six months well into early 2026 if the Yang di-Pertuan Agong approves it.

Wide experience - In her career spanning 37 years so far, Tengku Maimun started off as a legal officer in the Southern Kelantan Development Board (Kesedar) on February 17, 1982, before becoming the Seremban Municipal Council's legal officer about two years later on March 1, 1984.

Tengku Maimun later became an assistant parliamentary draftsman in the Attorney General's Chambers' drafting division that is tasked with drafting the country's laws on March 19, 1986, before becoming a magistrate in Port Dickson on October 1, 1987 and a federal lawyer at the Legal Aid Bureau in Kuala Terengganu on November 16, 1989.

Tengku Maimun then spent her time fully in the courts as a senior assistant registrar on June 1, 1990 in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, before shifting to the High Court in Seremban on February 16, 1992, and then as deputy registrar in the Kuala Lumpur courts on August 1, 1993.

After almost five years, she was appointed on March 1, 1998 to serve as special officer of the Chief Judge of Malaya who oversees the High Court judges in Peninsular Malaysia, before serving again as deputy registrar in the Kuala Lumpur courts from July 15, 1999.

Able administrator joins superior courts - Tengku Maimun then became Sessions Court judge on March 1, 2001 while at the same time serving as the Chief Justice's special officer after taking on the latter role two months earlier on January 5, before repeating the same feat of wearing two hats in 2004 as both a registrar in the High Court of Malaya and as chief registrar at the Federal Court.

She then continued serving as chief registrar in a single role from July 1, 2005, before continuing on to preside over cases as a judicial commissioner from October 2006 and then receiving confirmation to be a High Court judge from 2006 onwards.