Tawfik Ismail, who heads the NGO Malaysia First, said Malanjum was the only person to serve or have served as chief justice not given the highest federal honour.

“The first lord president James Beveridge Thomson, who was born in Scotland, was awarded a Tunship. Malanjum’s successor, Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, has also been made a Tun,” he told FMT.

He said it was possible that Malanjum, who was chief justice for nine months, was not conferred the title during his tenure as the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V had cancelled official birthday celebrations.

Tawfik said Malaysia First believed that Malanjum, the first East Malaysian to be appointed chief justice, must be recognised in the same way as his peers.

He said Malanjum had, despite his short tenure, brought reforms including embracing the use of technology in court and setting up panels of judges in the Federal Court through e-balloting.

He also introduced collective decision-making among the four office-bearers of the judiciary and promoted transparency in judicial appointments, he said.

He said he plans to start an online petition calling for Malanjum to be conferred a Tunship.

“This year, two Tunships were conferred, why not a third for Malanjum?

“We hope Malaysians of all regional, ethnic, religious, linguistic, political and social-economic backgrounds will come forward and make known loud and clear their aspiration for a fair Malaysia.”

Malanjum, who was the country’s ninth chief justice, was appointed to the post on July 11, 2018.