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, 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 of Malaysia

 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia :
 * Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - PSM.svg Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2009)
 * Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - SSM.svg Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (2012)
 * Kelantan :
 * MY-KEL Order of the Crown of Kelantan - Star of Muhammad.svg Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (DPMK) – Dato' (1999)
 * My-KEL Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Kelantan.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Loyalty to the Crown of Kelantan (SPSK) – Dato' (2005)
 * MY-KEL Order of the Crown of Kelantan - Star of Muhammad.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Kelantan (SPMK) – Dato' (2014)
 * Pahang :
 * MY-PAH Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang - Grand Knight - SSAP.svg Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (2008)
 * Penang :
 * MY-PEN Order of the Defender of State - Knight Grand Commander - DUPN.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (2012)
 * Perak :
 * MY-PERA Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (before 2001).svg Knight of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (DPCM) – Dato' (1988)
 * MY-PERA Order of the Perak State Crown - Kn Grd Commander - SPMP.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Perak State Crown (SPMP) – Dato' Seri (2010)
 * MY-PERA Order of Cura Si Manja Kini - Grand Knight - SPCM (new).svg Grand Knight of the Order of Cura Si Manja Kini (SPCM) – Dato' Seri (2012)
 * Sabah :
 * MY-SAB Order of Kinabalu - SPDK.svg Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (2015)
 * Selangor :
 * MY-SEL Order of the Crown of Selangor - Knight Grand Commander - SPMS.svg Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (2012)
 * Terengganu :
 * MY-TER Order of the Crown of Terengganu - Dato Paduka - DPMT.svg Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Terengganu (DPMT) – Dato' (1986)
 * MY-TER Order of Sultan Mahmud I of Terengganu - DSMT - ASM.svg 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.