KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — About 12 out of 26 Appeals Court are in the race to fill four existing vacant positions as Federal Court judges and other vacancies.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that based on order of seniority, those in the lead are Datuk Yaacob Md Sam, Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, Datuk Suraya Othman, Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin, Datuk Has Zanah Mehat, Datuk Lee Swee Seng, Datuk Azizah Nawawi, Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk M Nantha Balan.

FMT reported that just last week, senior most Federal Court judge, Datuk Seri Zawawi Salleh, retired after the end of a six-month extension granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Earlier, in May, another Apex court judge, Datuk Zaleha Yusof had also retired.

The report noted that two other vacancies will arise when Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Azahar Mohamed and Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Rohana Yusuf retire in October and November, respectively, opening the space for four Court of Appeal judges to fill the vacancies in the Federal Court.

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), chaired by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, will meet to propose the list of names to be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

As required under Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan appoints judges, based on the advice of the prime minister, after consulting the Conference of Rulers.