Tun Mohamed Suffian Hashim was a Malaysian judge, eventually serving as Lord President of the Federal Court from 1974 to 1982.
Background
Tun Suffian was born in 1917 in Kota Lama Kiri, a small village on the banks of Sungai Perak near Kuala Kangsar and went to the Malay School, Lenggong and Clifford School, Kuala Kangsar, before going to England on a Queen"s scholarship in 1936.
Career
He had previously served as Chief Justice of Malaya. During World World War II, unable to return home from England because of the Japanese Occupation, he worked as a news broadcaster and commentator with the All-India Radio, New Delhi, and later with the British Broadcasting Corporation in London where he acquired an interest in current affairs and in lucid writing. He also held an honorary Doctor of Laws from the National University of Singapore and an honorary Doctorate.Litt from University of Malaya.
He had served as the Pro-Chancellor of University of Malaya.
He died on 26 September 2000 and was buried at the First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum near Ubudiah Mosque in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
Membership
Tun Suffian read law at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge before becoming a member of Middle Temple. Tun Suffian had a long association with the Constitution of Malaysia, first with its drafting and then with its operation as a member of the Legal Department, and finally with its interpretation from 1961 when he was elevated to the bench of the Federal Court.