Others are retired Court of Appeal judge Anantham Kasinather, former attorney-general of Sarawak Abdul Razak Tready and Universiti Malaya law faculty lecturer Professor Dr Choong Yeow Choy.
Arifin was previously the JAC chairman in his capacity as chief justice.
He retired last month after helming the judiciary from September 2011.
Current Chief Justice Raus Sharif, in a press statement today, said Prime Minister Najib Razak had also appointed Federal Court judge Azahar Mohamed to the JAC.
Raus said the two-year appointments take effect from April 17.
“On behalf of the JAC, I also thank the dedicated services rendered by the four previous eminent persons,” he said.
The JAC, established in 2009, is a body that suggests candidates for the PM to choose from and advises the king on appointments and elevation of judges to the superior courts.
The JAC consists of nine members, with the chief justice doubling up as chairman, and includes the Court of Appeal president and the chief judges of Malaya and Sabah and Sarawak, by virtue of their administrative posts.
The two-year tenure of the four eminent persons came to an end on Feb 9 while the slot for a senior Federal Court judge became vacant following the appointment of Ahmad Maarop as Chief Judge of Malaya on April 1.
FMT reported today that filling the vacancy as soon as possible was vital as the JAC Act states that commission members must meet at least once a month with a quorum of seven people.
More so, the JAC has to work out a succession plan since Chief Justice Raus Sharif will retire in August and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin in September.