(TE) – WITH the retirements of Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Malaysia marks the close of an extraordinary era in its judicial history. This unequal approach, granting customary six-month extensions to some judges but not to the Chief Justice and President of the Court of Appeal, sets a dangerous precedent that threatens public trust in the integrity and impartiality of Malaysia’s courts. This decision risks undoing the hard-won trust and credibility rebuilt through the judicial revival led by Tengku Maimun and Abang Iskandar. As Malaysia’s first female Chief Justice and the first Sarawakian to head the Court of Appeal, they brought representation, balance, and renewed public trust to the nation’s apex courts. Their tenure has been marked by transformative judgements, landmark rulings, greater access to justice, digital modernisation, and an unwavering defence of constitutional principles, transforming Malaysia’s courts into institutions that better serve all Malaysians.