YABhg. Tun Tengku Maimun Binti Tuan Mat

Key Panellist

YABhg. Tun Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat is one of Malaysia’s most prominent and respected legal figures, having served as the Chief Justice of Malaysia from 2019 to 2025.

Tun Tengku Maimun pursued her legal studies at the University of Malaya, graduating with honours in 1982. She began her legal career the same year as a Legal Officer at KESEDAR, and subsequently served at the Municipal Council of Seremban.

In 1986, she joined the Judicial and Legal Service, where she held a range of important roles including Assistant Parliamentary Draftsman, Magistrate, Federal Counsel, Senior Assistant Registrar, Deputy Registrar, Special Officer to the Chief Judge of Malaya and the Chief Justice, Sessions Court Judge, and Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia.

Her judicial career continued to progress through a series of senior appointments. She was appointed Judicial Commissioner of the High Court of Malaya in 2006, High Court Judge in 2007, Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2013, and Judge of the Federal Court in 2018. On 2 May 2019, she was appointed Chief Justice of Malaysia, becoming the first woman to hold the nation’s highest judicial office.

Throughout her distinguished career, Tun Tengku Maimun has been conferred numerous federal and state honours, including SPSK and DPSK (Dato’), Darjah Utama Pangkuan Negeri (Dato’ Seri Utama), Panglima Mangku Negara (Tan Sri), and Darjah Seri Setia Mahkota (Tun).

Hew Ze Kai

Moderator

Mr Hew Ze Kai is a second-year law student at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and currently serves as the Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Asian Law Students’ Association Malaysia (ALSA Malaysia).

He also holds the position of Deputy Director of the Legal Insights and Opinion Series at the Malaysian Law Students’ Network, and is a member of the Inns of Court and LAWASIA.

Mr Hew has completed four legal internships, primarily focusing on criminal and civil litigation, and has authored eight publications. His works include 'Case Analysis of Corfu Channel (United Kingdom v Albania) [1949] ICJ Rep 244, ICGJ 201 (ICJ 1949)' and 'Case Review on Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi bin Azmal dan lain-lain v Pendakwa Raya [2025] 3 MLJ 464.'

In addition to his academic and writing pursuits, he has actively participated in numerous competitions, including three moot court competitions, two debate competitions, and the International Case Law Analysis Challenge 2025, where he achieved 5th place and was recognised as a Notable Case Strategist.