PUTRAJAYA: Chief Justice Tun Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin have tendered their resignations which will take effect on July 31. They submitted their letters of resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on June 7 and the King consented to their resignations the following day, according to a statement released yesterday by the Office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court. The statement said the Istana Negara conveyed the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to Raus and Zulkefli via a letter dated June 11.
It also said that Raus and Zulkefli met Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on May 15 and expressed their desire to resign. They informed Dr Mahathir, however, that they would prefer their resignations to take effect on a reasonable date so as to enable them to settle all judicial matters, the statement said.
“In line with these considerations, the Chief Justice and the Court of Appeal president tendered their letters of resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on June 7, 2018, and the resignations will take effect on July 31, 2018,” the statement said.
Raus and Zulkefli were appointed to their respective posts in April last year after Tun Arifin Zakaria went on mandatory retirement as the Chief Justice at the age of 66. Raus and Zulkefli were appointed as additional judges for three years and two years, respectively, so that they can continue to serve in their posts although they had reached the mandatory retirement age of 66. Raus was supposed to have retired on August 3 last year and Zulkefli on September 27 last year after a six-month extension of service upon reaching the age of 66, the retirement age for judges.
