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KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia appointed its first ever female chief justice, the Prime Minister's Department said in a statement on Thursday.
Federal Court judge Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat is the first woman to fill the role after the king gave his consent to the candidate proposed by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
"The appointment of Tengku Maimun as Chief Justice is effective from May 2," it said.
The Prime Minister's Office also expressed appreciation and thanked Tan Sri Richard Malanjum for his service as previous Chief Justice.
Malanjum retired after serving 27 years in the judiciary.
The Chief Justice of Malaysia, also known as the Chief Justice of the Federal Court, is the highest position of the Malaysian judiciary system.
