Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat (left), Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim (right), and Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim (centre, back) at the Opening of the Legal Year in Putrajaya on Wednesday.

PUTRAJAYA (Jan 8): Outgoing Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said that she had never coveted the country’s top judicial post, and while it was an intimidating position to hold, upon accepting it six years ago, she was fully committed to serving the position properly and would not “bend or bow” to any person.

During possibly her last ever speech as the chief justice at the Opening of the Legal Year 2025 here on Wednesday, Tengku Maimun said that her only master is Allah, and that she is only accountable to Him.

“I never coveted the role, but I was entrusted to lead the judiciary,” she said.

“It (the role of the chief justice) is an extremely intimidating position to hold, but upon accepting the appointment, I am fully committed to doing it properly. I will not bend or bow to any person, no matter how high and mighty, to do what he or she demands of me,” she said.

“My only master is Allah SWT. I have utmost faith in my religion, which holds me accountable only to Allah on Judgment Day,” she added.

Tengku Maimun, who is scheduled to retire in July this year (unless her term is extended), said that she had always intended on fulfilling her oath of office, especially in ensuring that the Federal Constitution reigns supreme.

“I am guided by no other considerations than the law and the facts of any case, within the bounds of judicially established principles,” the chief justice said.

She took time to remind judges that they must always uphold the oath they undertook as judges — to uphold the Constitution in their duties.

Tengku Maimun said by taking judge-ship, a person agrees to live a life of solitude, and such a person would have to relinquish loyalty to any institution apart from the judiciary and the Federal Constitution.

“You have agreed to become the perfect citizen, who accommodates no advice, and adheres to no one’s instruction, apart from the dictates and mandates of the Constitution and the law. You know politics, carry out your duty as a voter, but take no part in it, in any way, shape, or form.

“You are tasked to do justice by the law, but at the same time, you have become dispassionate to all manner of sufferings, plights, and pain, as these are only secondary to the law,” Tengku Maimun said, adding this applies to every part of civil, criminal, and family law cases that a judge has to preside on.