PUTRAJAYA (Jan 17): Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim has been appointed to the No 2 top judiciary post in Malaysia — the Court of Appeal (COA) president.

Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah

Federal Court judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah has also been named as the Chief Judge of Malaya, and Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli as the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. The CJ of Malaya and the CJSS are the third and fourth top judiciary posts in the country.

Abang Iskandar, 63, was previously the CJSS. In his new post, he replaces Tan Sri Rohana Yusuf, who retired last November. He has been the acting COA president since Rohana's retirement.

He took his oath on Tuesday morning (Jan 17) before the most senior Court of Appeal judge, Datuk Yaacob Md Sam.

Zabidin, 65, meanwhile, took his oath before the most senior High Court judge, Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman, while Abdul Rahman took his oath before Kuching High Court judge Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli.

Abang Iskandar and Zabidin were on the five-member bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat that found former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak guilty of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of power over SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

Prior to his new appointment, Abang Iskandar started off as a magistrate in Miri, and acted as a senior federal counsel at the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. He also previously headed the commercial crime unit of the Attorney General's Chambers.