8 judges transferred in Malaya judicial reshuffle

Eight judges have been transferred to new postings in a judicial reshuffle effective Jan 4, 2027.

In a transfer directive dated yesterday, Chief Judge of Malaya Hashim Hamzah outlined the changes involving judges serving in several High Courts.

Justice Arief Emran Arifin will move from the Kuala Lumpur High Court to the Melaka High Court. He will be replaced by Justice Abazafree Abbas, who is currently serving at the Kangar High Court.

Justice Leong Wai Hong will be posted to the Melaka High Court. His position at the Kuala Lumpur High Court will be taken over by Justice D Suria Kumar, who is currently serving in Melaka.

Meanwhile, Justice M Sumathi will be transferred from the Kuala Lumpur High Court to the Ipoh High Court. Her position in Kuala Lumpur will be taken over by Justice Moses Susayan, who is currently serving in Ipoh.

Justice Arziah Apandi, who handles civil and commercial cases at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, will be transferred to the Shah Alam High Court. She will be replaced by Judicial Commissioner K Raja Segaran.

The directive also requires judges to complete part-heard cases and applications already heard before moving to their new postings.

If they are unable to do so, they must refer the matters to the chief judge of Malaya for further directions, specifying the stage reached in each case.

A circular in September by Hashim said that Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan of the Kuala Lumpur High Court would also be transferred to Ipoh, effective Nov 1.