Chief Justice Siti Norma, An Exemplary Malaysian, Retires

After 43 years in the legal profession, the Chief Justice of Malaya, Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob, will retire Friday. Siti Norma, 67, held the Chief Justice's post for almost two years since Feb 8, 2005 and is the first woman in the country to occupy the post.

She said in a special interview at her office here that retirement would change her routine slightly as she was focused on work in the past. She is also a Federal Court judge. "Forty-three years is a long time and I am used to working from 9am to 5pm. Things will change slightly after this," she said.

Born in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, on July 6, 1940, she received her early education at Sekolah Melayu Rahang, Seremban and her law degree at Gray's Inn, London in 1962.

"I did not have a plan after finishing school, but my father always hoped his children would become doctors or lawyers. At that time none of my siblings had fulfilled that hope. "Teaching was one of the most respectable professions in 1957, but I could not visualise myself as a teacher and chose to read law instead.

It was passion for the profession that kept her going from year to year until she reached her present level. "There was always something new that I could learn in law. The field continues to expand and it was interesting to decide how to apply it to particular cases," she said.

She said that to be a good judge, one must exercise great patience and never make decisions in a hurry.

Siti Norma started as a Senior Assistant Registrar at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in July 1963. She later held several important posts including President of the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, Senior Federal Counsel at the Solicitor-General's Office and Chief Registrar of the Federal Court. She was appointed a High Court Judge in April, 1983 and later as an Appeals Court Judge in 1994. She became a Federal Court Judge in 2001.

Reflecting on the achievements of women in Malaysia, she said Malaysian women had made great strides, including in law. She advised them to project themselves and their skills to compete with men.

In life, she added, she stuck to the philosophy of "carrying out one's tasks to the best of one's ability."

She is blessed with three children through her marriage to Datuk Seri Meor Ayob Mior Shaffie. They have seven grandchildren.

Asked on her plans after retirement, she said that she had no plans for now but added that it would be good if she got to travel. (Bernama)
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