ANOTHER BLOW to the ailing reputation of the judiciary.

From Malaysiakini:

The King, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, has consented to the lightning-fast appointment of Zaki Azmi - who has parachuted into the Federal Court three months ago - as President of the Court Appeal, the No.2 post in the judiciary.

The PM Abdullah Badawi said the King acted on the advice of the Prime Minister and after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.

The Court of Appeal president Abdul Hamid Mohamad has been today appointed as the new chief justice, which is the judiciary's most powerful post.

The unconventional elevation of Zaki, 62, could pose ANOTHER BLOW to the ailing reputation of the judiciary.

Exactly three months ago, he became the FIRST LAWYER to be directly appointed into the Federal Court. (Before this, only lawyer Gopal Sri Ram had bypassed serving in the High Court when he was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 1994. )

Zaki previously served as UMNO’s Legal Adviser and Disciplinary Committee Chairperson.

He was also UMNO's Selection Committee Secretary and Deputy Chairperson of UMNO's Disciplinary Board Appeal Panel.

He stepped down from these posts in 2005 following his divorce from his second wife, Nor Hayati Yahaya, who was almost half his age.

With Abdul Hamid due for retirement next year, Zaki is the frontrunner for the judiciary's No 1 post.

Bar Surprised Over Appointment of Zaki

Meanwhile in an immediate response, the Malaysian Bar expressed surprise over the appointment of Zaki as the Court of Appeal president “given that there were OTHER suitable candidates in terms of SENIORITY and SERVICE in the judiciary”.

The Bar’s president Ambiga Sreenevasan said in a statement that Zaki was also only recently elevated to the Federal Court.

“There are the added concerns of his previous BUSINESS interests and involvement in UMNO ,” she added.