Kelantan Court History
The history of Kelantan's legal and judicial system, which is based on Islamic law and custom, continues to develop from time to time under several Sultans until it becomes somewhat organized during the time of Sultan Mansur from the year Eighteen Hundred Ninety One [1891] until Nineteen Hundred [1900 ]. It is believed that Sultan Muhammad the Second [II] is the person who started the tradition of rule of law based on this Sharia law. The English Court system was first established in Kelantan with the arrival of W.A Graham, an English Counselor in the year 1903 [1903].
An Enactment was passed in 1928 to appoint a law graduate to be a Judicial Commissioner who also acts as a Legal Adviser. He is not only responsible as a Judge in the High Court but also responsible for re-drafting and codifying Kelantan laws. Records show that E B Williams in 1939 was appointed as the first Judicial Commissioner of Kelantan. After being dominated by the British for a long time, in 1954 the first local citizen to become a High Court Judge in Kelantan was Yang Arif Syed Sheh bin Syed Hassan Barakhbah. He held this highest position until 1956. Starting from 1960, High Court Judges in Kelantan were completely dominated by local citizens.
As for the administration of lower-level justice, J G. Adams was a Sessions Court Judge in Kelantan from the year Nineteen Forty-Eight [1948] until Nineteen Fifty-One [1951], followed by H.L Wrigglesworth from Nineteen Fifty-Three [ 1953]. The first local child to become a Sessions Court Judge was Tan Sri Ali bin Hassan from 1953 to 1954. After 1956, the Sessions Court Judges in Kelantan continued to be dominated by local children.
Among the old court buildings built in Kelantan is the Kota Bharu Court which was built in 1903 which is located in front of Padang Merdeka now and also the Kota Bharu High Court in Padang Gimlate. Along with the development of Malaysia, the justice system in Kelantan can be seen growing rapidly through the construction of court buildings that become the center and point of reference for the people seeking justice.
The Kota Bharu Court Complex (old) was inaugurated by His Majesty Tuanku Sultan Yahya Petra Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Ibrahim on October 6, 1969. His Majesty Tuanku Al-Sultan Kelantan placed great emphasis on the administration of justice in this state. The further development of courts in Kelantan can be seen through the addition of new court buildings:
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET PASIR PUTEH pada 28 April 1974
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET MACHANG pada 18 Ogos 1976
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET TANAH MERAH pada 6 Mei 1978
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET BACHOK pada tahun 1978
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET PASIR MAS pada 7 November 1979
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET TUMPAT pada tahun 1982
- MAHKAMAH SESYEN / MAJISTRET GUA MUSANG pada 4 Julai 2001
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET KUALA KRAI pada tahun 2007
- MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET JELI pada 5 Julai 2007
- MAHKAMAH SESYEN / MAJISTRET PASIR MAS pada tahun 2011
- KOMPLEKS MAHKAMAH KOTA BHARU, BANDAR BARU TUNJUNG
History has also been engraved once again when the first female Magistrate was appointed in the State of Kelantan, namely Yang Amat Mulia Tengku Amalin 'A-Ishah Putri binti Sultan Ismail Petra became the first female Magistrate on June 26, 2006. It is expected that the Kota Bharu Court which is currently operating in the center city of Kota Bharu will move to a new building complex in Tunjong in mid-2019.
On 28 July 2019, the new building of the Kota Bharu Court Complex, Bandar Baru Tunjung was safely occupied and fully used to replace the old court building. The building handover ceremony was held on 23 July 2019 between JKR - BHEUU - Kelantan State Court.