The Chief Justice of Malaysia, Tun Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, concluded a three-day working visit to Brunei Darussalam from July 7 to 9 at the invitation of Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong, marking his first official visit to Brunei since assuming office and his first official visit to a fellow Southeast Asian country as Malaysia’s Chief Justice.
Tun Wan Ahmad Farid was accompanied by Malaysia’s three other most senior judges – President of the Court of Appeal Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais, Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hashim Hamzah, and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Hajah Azizah Haji Nawawi.
According to the Supreme Court, the visit also marked the first time the four most senior members of the Malaysian judiciary had undertaken an official overseas visit together, with Brunei becoming the first country to host the high-level delegation.
On July 8, Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Chong hosted the first biennial bilateral meeting between the two judiciaries following the signing of the Memorandum of Judicial Cooperation (MOJC) between the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam and the Federal Court of Malaysia on March 6, 2024.
The meeting reviewed progress made under the memorandum, including the launch of the Brunei-Malaysia Judicial Lecture Series and the Judicial Attachment Programme, under which two Bruneian judicial officers were attached to Malaysian courts in 2025.
The lecture series has so far featured sessions on judgment writing, as well as sexual offences against children and the management of sensitive cases involving vulnerable witnesses.
Both Chief Justices also welcomed plans for Brunei to host judicial officers from the Malaysian Judiciary under a reciprocal attachment programme in 2027.
Looking ahead, the two judiciaries reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation under the MOJC, with discussions focusing on judicial administration, court governance, voice-to-text transcription technology, and the growing use of technology and artificial intelligence to support the administration of justice.
The Chief Justices expressed confidence that the Memorandum of Judicial Cooperation would continue to strengthen collaboration, professional exchanges and dialogue between the judiciaries of Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.