Malaysia’s Chief Justice says country ‘urgently needs’ more judges as caseload soars
Chief Justice of Malaysia Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh noted that the number of court cases in Malaysia had surged by about 60 per cent since 2021.
A file photo of the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s top judge has warned that the country does not have enough judges to deal with a growing workload, stressing that this has placed an “immense and growing pressure on the justice system”.
In his speech at the Opening of the Legal Year 2026 on Monday (Jan 12), Chief Justice of Malaysia Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh said that the number of court cases in Malaysia had surged in the past few years by about 60 per cent.
He cited how criminal case registrations had risen from 1,522,005 cases in 2021 to 2,486,567 cases in November 2025, a 63.37 per cent increase. Meanwhile, civil case registrations rose from 303,335 cases to 483,933 cases in the same period, a 59.54 per cent increase.
Wan Ahmad noted that the figures “reflect a structural trend rather than a temporary surge”.
“(But) looking at it positively, a more litigious society is a society that has faith in its judiciary,” he was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.
But Wan Ahmad Farid warned against the high volume and complexity of court cases compared to the current number of judges, which currently stands at 482.
“Despite these mounting pressures, judges and judicial officers at all levels continue to discharge their duties with professionalism, diligence, and commitment - trying their level best to ensure that cases are resolved within prescribed timelines,” he said.
Wan Ahmad Farid called for more institutional support, adding that there is a need to add more judges to the current roster.
“There is a natural limit to how much additional workload can be absorbed without affecting well-being and quality of decision-making,” he said.
Wan Ahmad Farid said that Malaysia currently has a ratio of one superior court judge for roughly 239,852 people, based on its 36 million population.
This is then contrasted against other countries like Australia - which has roughly one superior court judge for every 124,000 people - and to Canada which has approximately one judge for every 47,000 people.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the country has a population of 27.6 million people as of June 2025. Meanwhile, Canada is home to about 41.6 million people, according to latest population estimates.
Malay Mail reported Wan Ahmad Farid as saying that those countries have more sustainable workloads for their judges and court cases could be resolved faster there.
“The implications are clear. The current shortfall in judicial manpower, both at the superior and subordinate court levels, places immense and growing pressure on the justice system,” he said.
Wan Ahmad Farid further noted that Sessions Court judges and magistrates in Malaysia have heavy workloads because of the “limited number of established posts” for such positions, which contributes to delays and uneven distribution of workload in different states and districts.
“For these reasons, there is an urgent and pressing need for the government to consider increasing the number … of judicial officers, especially those serving in the lower courts,” he said.
For superior court judges, he said the Judicial Appointments Commission is reviewing proposals for appointments of judges and judicial commissioners, as well as proposals to suggest possible amendments to the Federal Constitution if there is such a need.
SALARY HIKE COMES WITH ENHANCED RESPONSIBILITIES
Separately, Wan Ahmad Farid welcomed the 30 per cent salary increment for judges as he said that this would contribute to the independence of the judiciary and serves as an important safeguard to help shield judges from undue influence.
He added that the increment reflects a clear recognition of the demands placed upon judicial office and a meaningful commitment to strengthening the welfare of the judiciary system.
"The increment … contributes to promote the independence of the judiciary," he said, as quoted by The Star.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously announced in his Budget 2026 speech that judges’ salaries would be increased by up to 30 per cent from Jan 1, 2026, which would be the first such hike since 2015.
In a government gazette published on Dec 24, it listed the new monthly salaries for eight different ranks and categories of judges from Jan 1.
On Monday, Wan Ahmad Farid reminded his fellow judges that the enhanced remuneration must go hand in hand with heightened responsibility.
"Let me reiterate that a fairly compensated judiciary serves as an important safeguard — helping to shield judges from undue influence, encouraging capable legal minds to step forward in service and allowing those who sit on the Bench to discharge their duties without undue financial concern," he was quoted as saying by The Star.
