20 hours ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
6 judges honoured with rare elevation ceremony in Penang
The six judges with presiding senior Justice Rozana Ali Yusoff after the elevation ceremony at the High Court in George Town.
GEORGE TOWN : Six High Court judges were honoured at a rare judicial elevation ceremony here today, reviving a long-standing tradition with roots dating back over two centuries.
Today's ceremony presided over by senior judge Justice Rozana Ali Yusoff was the first to honour six judges at once. They were: Quay Chew Soon, Anand Ponnudurai, Azizan Arshad, Kenneth Yoong Ken Chinson St James, Fathiyah Idris and Rofiah Mohamad.
Penang Bar chair Gowri Subbaiyah said the elevation ceremony usually takes place only when judicial commissioners are confirmed as High Court judges, 'which usually takes two to three years'.
However, some among the six judges had been confirmed over the past three years but had not been formally recognised. 'Since they are still serving here, we felt it was only right to include them,' she said.
It is understood that the elevation ceremony was last held in 2017, when Justice Lim Chong Fong, now a judge at the Court of Appeal, was elevated to the High Court.
After today's ceremony, Justice St James described his confirmation as both humbling and liberating. 'I'm beholden to no one now. Only to God, my oath, the Constitution, and the rule of law,' he said.
Justice Quay said his time in Penang had been both challenging and rewarding. 'I've enjoyed the cases, especially the complex ones, as they test the mind. And I've enjoyed the food and the people even more,' he said, adding that Penang was 'the best station a judge could hope for'.
Justice Fathiyah paid tribute to the senior lawyers who helped her grow when she was a sessions court judge in Ipoh.
Justice Anand, best known for his work in employment law, said the variety of cases in Penang had pushed him to grow. 'I've had to learn Acts of Parliament I never knew existed. And it's been worth it,' he said. 'My guiding rule is simple. I must be honest with myself. If I sign a judgment, it's because I believe it's the right decision.'
The elevation ceremony is believed to have its beginnings in 1808 when the colonial settlement received its charter of justice, which led to the founding of the first formal court. Elevation ceremonies used to include a procession where judges would walk in full regalia from St George's Church to the court building.
Although public processions are no longer held, the 'ceremonial spirit lives on', according to lawyer T Tharumarajah, who said the ceremony is aimed at introducing new judges to the public. It also serves as a bridge between the bar and the bench.
He said: 'Judges and lawyers are meant to engage (with one another), not keep apart. But after the scandals that rocked the judiciary in the early 2000s, that bond weakened. It shouldn't be that way.'
