Abang Johari being greeted by the supporters upon his arrival at the event.
MIRI: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he was not informed about the decision to relocate the Registrar Office of the High Court of Sarawak and Sabah, from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu.
He was asked if he was consulted by the federal government regarding the said relocation.
“I was not informed of this. We will issue an official statement on this matter soon,” he told reporters after officiating at the launch of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Zone 13B Miri at Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club here yesterday.
GPS Zone 13B comprises Senadin, Piasau and Pujut branches.
The relocation raised a storm in the legal fraternity as the decision was deemed unconstitutional because under Article 121(4) of the Federal Constitution, the chief ministers of Sarawak and Sabah must be consulted on the decision to relocate the Registrar Office.
The ceremony yesterday gathered a crowd of over 2,000 including deputy chief ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni, Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Asisstant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin who is also the organising chairman of the launching ceremony, Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus, Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat, Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Women chief Datuk Seri Doris Sophia Bodie and Miri Mayor Adam Yii.
In his speech, Abang Johari said he stood by the decision of GPS MPs to abstain when the Bill to amend Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution Amendment was put to vote.
He said the Bill should not be rushed through without giving lawmakers in Sarawak time to study it.
“We have to be very careful in the topic of amendment of Federation Constitution because it is the supreme law. We must look at the wording and the implication of the wordings. If it is not definitive, then there would be a loophole.
“Thus, if there is a need to amend (the Constitution) please put in the Malaysian Agreement (1963) because that is fundamental in the formation of Malaysia,” Abang Johari stressed.
He explained that the agreement had clearly stated Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah as ‘partners’.
“If we are partners, then we must work as partners. Just like a marriage that has a husband and a wife. Everyone has responsibility towards each other.
“A marriage has marriage certificate as concrete proof. Similar to that of the MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963), that proves the partnership of Federation of Malaysia comprises Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah.”
“If we took the wrong step, we would face the consequences. What we are doing is for the future generation and for them to not blaming us, we have to make the right move.”