Siti Norma Yaakob, who lived from July 6, 1940, to March 13, 2026, was a Malaysian lawyer and judge born in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, noted as the first woman to become Chief Judge of Malaya. Called to the bar at Gray's Inn in July 1962, she returned to Malaysia and became the Federal Courts' first female assistant registrar in June 1963, then reached a series of further firsts for a woman in the Malaysian judiciary: Sessions Court president in 1967, High Court judge in 1983, Court of Appeal judge in 1994 and Federal Court judge in 2001, before serving as Chief Judge of Malaya from 2005 to 2007. She also served as president of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association from 2006 to 2009, and died in Kuala Lumpur in 2026 at the age of 85.
Facts
RoleLawyer and judge, noted for being the first woman to become Chief Judge of Malaya 1 Nationality / Jurisdiction Classification
Field of Law Role
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Source Siti Norma Yaakob (Wikipedia)
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Sources
1. Siti Norma Yaakob (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIntroduction, gender
After completing her legal studies in London, England and being called to the bar in 1962, Siti Norma returned to Malaysia and worked her way up through the judicial system.
Introduction
Tan Sri Dato' Seri Siti Norma binti Yaakob (6 July 1940 - 13 March 2026) was a Malaysian lawyer and judge, noted for being the first woman to become Chief Judge of Malaya.
Full article, field of law
She also completed a Certificate in Public International Law from the Council of Legal Education.
In Legal System: Law of Malaysia, Wikipedia lead sentence
was a Malaysian lawyer and judge
Member Of: Federal Court of Malaysia, Lead
She was the first Malaysian woman to become a High Court judge (1983), a Court of Appeal judge (1994), a Federal Court judge (2001), and finally the Chief Judge of Malaya (2005), a position that Siti Norma held until her retirement two years later.
View the Source 2. Wikidata: Siti Norma Yaakob
Wikidata Q12698959, P569 date of birth claim (year)
P569 (date of birth): 1940
Wikidata Q12698959, P569 date of birth claim (full date)
P569 (date of birth): 1940-07-06
Wikidata Q12698959, P570 date of death claim (year)
P570 (date of death): 2026
Wikidata Q12698959, P570 date of death claim (full date)
P570 (date of death): 2026-03-13
Wikidata Q12698959, P19 place of birth claim
P19 (place of birth): Seremban
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