Malaysia gets Catholic as top judge

Educated by the De La Salle Brothers in Malaysia, Catholic judge Richard Malanjum has earned a reputation for trying to bring justice to the poor. At 65 years of age, Malanjum, has become Muslim-majority Malaysia's chief justice, the nation's highest judicial position.

He started his career with the Education Department before moving on to several other government departments. Malanjum's appointment is seen as a decisive break from the sacking of several independent-minded judges in 1988, and a raft of subsequent decisions in favor of the government.

Read: La Croix International staff