# Arifin Zakaria

Arifin bin Zakaria (born 1 October 1950) is a Malaysian lawyer who served as the seventh Chief Justice of Malaysia, serving from 12 September 2011, succeeding Zaki Azmi, until 31 March 2017.

## Education background

After completing his secondary education at Sultan Ismail College [ms], Kota Bahru, he went to read law at the University of Sheffield. Upon graduation, he joined the Malaysian Judicial and Legal Service in September 1974. In 1979, he pursued the Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree at University College London (UCL) and the Bar Final Course at the Council of Legal Education. In June 1980, he was called to the English Bar, and in the same year he received his LL.M. from University College London.

## Career

Prior to his elevation to the High Court Bench of Malaysia, he had served in various capacities in the Government of Malaysia both in the Judicial Office, as well as in the Legal Department. Among the positions held by him were Magistrate, President of the Sessions Court, Senior Assistant Registrar of the High Court, Federal Counsel and Senior Federal Counsel, Legal Advisor to Ministry of Primary Industries, Legal Advisor to the Public Services Department, Legal Advisor to Malacca and Perak, Deputy Parliamentary Draftsman and Senior Federal Counsel of the Inland Revenue Department.
On 1 March 1992, he was appointed Judicial Commissioner of the High Court of Malaya and two years after, he was appointed a High Court Judge of Malaya.
In 2002, he was elevated to the Court of Appeal of Malaysia. In 2005, he was elevated to the Federal Court of Malaysia. He was appointed to the present post of the Chief Judge of the High Court of Malaya effective 18 October 2008. His elevation as the Chief Justice of Malaysia was on 12 September 2011.
During his judicial service, he also had served many position like the Judge of the Special Court, the Member of the Legal and Judicial Service Commission, the Committee Member of the Higher Court Method and the Lower Court Method, the Panel Member of the Sharia Appeal Court of Kelantan and the Member of the Qualification Board.

## Honours
### Honours of Malaysia

* Malaysia :
** Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2009)
** Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (2012)
* Kelantan :
** Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (DPMK) – Dato' (1999)
** Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Loyalty to the Crown of Kelantan (SPSK) – Dato' (2005)
** Dato' Special Title of Kelantan State – Dato' Lela Negara (2010)
** Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (SPMK) – Dato' (2014)
* Pahang :
** Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (2008)
* Penang :
** Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (2012)
* Perak :
** Knight Commander of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (DPCM) – Dato' (1988)
** Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Perak State Crown (SPMP) – Dato' Seri (2010)
** Grand Knight of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (SPCM) – Dato' Seri (2012)
* Sabah :
** Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (2015)
* Selangor :
** Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (2012)
* Terengganu :
** Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Terengganu (DPMT) – Dato' (1986)
** Member Knight Companion of the Order of Sultan Mahmud I of Terengganu (DSMT) – Dato' (1995)

## Family

He is married to Toh Puan Robiah Abdul Kadir and has three sons and two daughters.