This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on August 8, 2019

PUTRAJAYA: Could Federal Court Justice Tan Sri Azahar Mohamed, who is doing the job of the Chief Judge (CJ) of Malaya, be confirmed in the post today?

This seems to be indicated by the seating arrangement for Justice Azahar on the bench in yesterday's case and on Tuesday where he was seen seated to the right of Chief Justice Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Datuk David Wong Dak Wah, who was seated on Tengku Maimun’s left.

The seating position of the judges denotes the seniority in the rank of judicial officers and Justice Azahar's placement to the right of Tengku Maimun may indicate that he was the second-most senior judge on the bench.

The new Chief Judge of Malaya, the third-most senior post in the judiciary, is due to be sworn in today.

The post had been vacant following the retirement of Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim in May, and Justice Azahar had been appointed as acting CJ of Malaya until an announcement is made.

Several news portals had already announced Justice Azahar to be the next CJ of Malaya.

An event is scheduled to be held this afternoon where the new CJ of Malaya would be given the instrument of appointment and take the oath of office before Tengku Maimun. Several new Federal Court and Court of Appeal judges will be appointed or elevated as well.

Justice Azahar, 62, is presently the second-most senior judge at the Federal Court. Prior to his appointment as a judge he was a deputy public prosecutor (DPP).

As a DPP, he was known to be among the team of prosecutors who prosecuted former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the abuse of power and first sodomy cases.

Justice Azahar was appointed as a Judicial Commissioner of the High Court on Aug 1, 2004 and was confirmed on July 27, 2006.

He was elevated to the Court of Appeal on May 11, 2011 and moved up to the Federal Court in September 2014.