Siti Norma Yaakob, a Malaysian lawyer and judge who became the first woman to serve as Chief Judge of Malaya, died on March 13, 2026, at the age of 85.
Born on 6 July 1940 in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, she studied law in London and was called to the bar in 1962 before returning to Malaysia to join the judicial system. She was the first Malaysian woman barrister of Malay heritage and the first woman to take up an executive position in the government’s legal service.
She became Chief Judge in 2005 and later served as the first Malaysian to be elected president of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, from 2006 to 2009.
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Siti Norma binti Yaakob (6 July 1940 – 13 March 2026) was a Malaysian lawyer and judge, noted for being the first woman to become Chief Judge of Malaya. After completing her legal studies in London, England and being called to the bar in 1962, Siti Norma returned to Malaysia and worked her way up through the judicial system. She was the first Malaysian woman barrister of Malay heritage and the first woman to take up an executive position in the government’s legal service, and she achieved many more “firsts” as she advanced in her career, finally becoming Chief Judge in 2005.