KUCHING: Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen today called on the judiciary to put on hold the decision to relocate the Registry of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu.
Chong, who is also Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs and MP for Stampin, said, if needed, the decision to relocate the Registry of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak should be withdrawn.
“There is no ambiguity on this provision of the Federal Constitution. This is the Federal Constitution which is the supreme law of the country and the words are clear and unambiguous,“ he said in a statement today.
He noted that under the Federal Constitution, Article 121(4) states: “In determining where the principal registry of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak is to be, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall act on the advice of the Prime Minister, who shall consult the Chief Ministers of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the Chief Judge of the High Court.”
“These three persons - Chief Minister of Sabah, Chief Minister of Sarawak and Chief Judge of the High Court, shall be consulted by the Prime Minister before the Prime Minister proceeds to advice the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,“ he said.
Yesterday, the Chief Minister of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg issued an official statement that such a decision to relocate the Registry of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu was made without any consultation between him and the Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Chong said he and Sarawak PH Secretary Alan Ling had discussed the matter with de-facto Law Minister, Datuk Liew Vui Keong, on the unconstitutionality of the decision and had forwarded Sarawak Pakatan Harapan’s view of the matter. — Bernama
