Chief Justice Md Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin will resign effective July 31.

Both had tendered their resignation in a letter to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on June 7, said a press statement issued by the Office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court.

The statement said Raus and Zulkefli had met the prime minister on May 15 to convey their intention to resign.

They also informed the prime minister that the effective date of their resignation could only be at a reasonable time in order to complete outstanding work.

Both judges then wrote their resignation letters, respectively, to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on June 7 and informed His Majesty that they would resign effective July 31.

The King gave his consent to their resignations on June 8 and conveyed it to the two judges in a letter on June 11.

Both men were the subject of a legal challenge by the Malaysian Bar and the Advocates’ Association of Sarawak (AAS) over their appointments to the top posts.

The lawyers’ groups had sought a declaration that the appointments of Raus and Zulkefli beyond their mandatory retirement age of 66 years and six months, were unconstitutional and asked for their removal.

The legal arguments around Raus’ and Zulkefli’s appointments had revolved around whether an additional judge (who has the status of a Federal Court judge) could be appointed for an extended tenure to serve as Chief Justice or as Court of Appeal president.

The Federal Court, which heard the challenge on March 14, had deferred its decision. 

Raus who turned 67 on February 4, was appointed as the 14th Chief Justice on April 1, 2017.

Zulkefli was appointed as President of Court of Appeal on April 4 the same year.

Raus had been Court of Appeal president since September 2011 before being appointed Chief Justice.

Zulkefli had been Chief Judge of Malaya since September 2011 before succeeding Raus in the Court of Appeal. – June 13, 2018.