KUCHING: Former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Mohamad Jemuri Serjan passed away on Wednesday (Jan 26) at a private medical centre here. He was 92.

       Jemuri served as the last Chief Justice of Borneo and first Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak when the post was renamed in 1994 during his tenure.

       He was nominated by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and appointed Chief Justice of Borneo on March 11, 1991.

       He became Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak on June 24, 1994, until retiring on Sept 9 the same year.

       Born on Sept 10, 1929 in Kuching, Jemuri received his early education at the Madrasah Melayu government school and secondary school education at St Joseph's School.

       He completed his Cambridge School Certificate in 1950 with a one-year local scholarship from the Education Department.

       After teaching at Madrasah Melayu for a few years, he was transferred in 1955 to the Sarawak administrative service where he first encountered law and legal work.

       Jemuri became a stipendiary magistrate on June 1, 1965, and was appointed assistant state attorney general on Nov 8, 1966.

       In 1973, he was appointed state Attorney General and held the post until his retirement in 1984.

       However, he was re-engaged on a contract basis and continued serving until Dec 31, 1989, after which he was appointed a Supreme Court judge.

       Jemuri will be laid to rest at the Gita Muslim cemetery here later Wednesday.