Datuk David Wong Dak Wah
KOTA KINABALU: One of the main purposes of the mobile court in Sabah is to solve issue of birth certificates for people who live in remote areas.
Chief Justice for Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Seri David Wong Dak Wah, in his speech, said that as at December 31, 2018, about 87,345 cases related to birth certification had been sorted out since the initiation of the mobile court services in Sabah, about 10 years ago.
“Those successful applicants who have been issued with an endorsed late registration would then apply for an identity card from the Registration Department so as to be conferred with the regular and full privileges enjoyed by an ordinary citizen of the country,” he said during the opening of the Legal Year 2019, yesterday.
To ensure access to justice, through the mobile court, Wong said the judiciary went deep into to the interior parts of Sabah and Sarawak to conduct hearings of civil and criminal nature and encouraged lawyers to join the trips.
Furthermore, with the use of a court’s bus which sometimes was converted into the court itself, Wong said it was more economical than a standard court building.
Meanwhile, Wong said he was grateful for the presence of at least one judge from Sabah or Sarawak in both Court of Appeal and Federal Court for cases from Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the Malaysian judiciary which was one of the three arms of the government is tasked to defend the Constitution without fear or favour to ensure that the executive abide by the rule of law.