PUTRAJAYA, July 13 — The Malaysian Bar today had its first working visit with the newly appointed Chief Justice of Malaysia (CJ), its president George Varughese said.

George said the Malaysian Bar’s first work meeting this afternoon was at the request of the new CJ Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, where some court-related issues were raised.

"The CJ also wants to have regular meetings with [Malaysian] Bar i.e. once every 2 months to sort out issues that may arise.

"The Malaysian Bar is very pleased with this regular consultative process initiated by Tan Sri Richard Malanjum,” he told reporters after the one-hour meeting at the Palace of Justice that started at 4pm.

George said present at the meeting were the newly appointed President of Court of Appeal Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk David Wong Dak Wah, the Federal Court’s Chief Registrar Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar, and other court registrars.

George said he was the sole representative for the Malaysian Bar.

He said presidents of both the Advocates Association of Sarawak and Sabah Law Society — Ranbir Singh Sangha and Brenndon Keith Soh — and several of their committee members were also present.

"Today’s meeting is a joint working visit of all the three Bars. The meeting every two months with CJ only involves the Malaysian Bar,” he explained.

The Malaysian Bar is the professional body for all lawyers in Peninsular Malaysia, while the Advocates Association of Sarawak and Sabah Law Society represents lawyers in Sarawak and Sabah respectively.

The meetings for the latter two will be decided by the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, he explained.

Malanjum, a Sabahan, was on Wednesday elevated from the position of the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak to the country’s highest judicial position, becoming the first east Malaysian to be the country’s Chief Justice.

Ahmad was Chief Judge of Malaya before he was elevated to his current post, while Wong was previously a Federal Court judge.