HIGH Court judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin has been appointed to head the newly established Kuala Lumpur Special Corruption Court, effective 1 April, as part of a judicial reshuffle aimed at expediting the handling of graft cases nationwide.
The transfer order, issued under Circular No. 3/2026 on the Malaysian Bar Council website, was signed by Chief Judge of Malaya, Datuk Hashim Hamzah.
The circular also confirms the transfer of High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin from Shah Alam to Kuala Lumpur, with Datuk Noor Hisham Ismail from Johor Bahru taking over in Shah Alam.
“All judges must finalise the cases currently being heard before this transfer order takes effect. Should they be unable to do so, a list of pending cases must be submitted to me, indicating the stage of each trial,” the circular stated.
Hashim further instructed that relevant administrative officers submit the Transfer notice (Kew 8) in accordance with the placement order.
The reshuffle has been approved by Chief Justice Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.
The announcement follows the establishment of the Special Corruption High Court, first revealed by the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court on 20 January, which is tasked with hearing both corruption cases and appeals from the Special Corruption Sessions Courts.
The creation of the court received endorsement from both the Chief Judge of Malaya and the Chief Justice.
The move comes after a royal address by Sultan Ibrahim at the opening of the first session of the fifth Parliament on 19 January, in which the monarch emphasised the need for experienced judges and dedicated channels to ensure corruption cases are resolved promptly.
According to the Chief Registrar’s office, the initiative reflects the judiciary’s commitment to integrity and the efficient, transparent, and effective management of corruption cases.
Currently, 14 Special Corruption Sessions Courts operate nationwide, targeting resolution of each case within one year from the date of registration. - February 19, 2026
