Voon respects Court’s decision to admit Malanjum as advocate in Sarawak

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Voon Lee Shan

KUCHING (Sept 15): Lawyer Voon Lee Shan said he respected the Kuching High Court’s decision today to admit former chief justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as an advocate in Sarawak.

When met after the court proceeding, Voon said the court had dismissed his application to be an intervener in the petitions filed by Malanjum and also that of former Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri David Wong Dak Wah to be advocates in Sarawak.

Wong’s petition is being heard in the High Court here this afternoon.

Malanjum and Wong are retired senior judges from Sabah.

Voon pointed out that the purpose of him filing to be an intervener in the petitions was part his effort in protecting the rights of the state as per enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He said the MA63 was also the basis of the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16 1963.

“People from outside Sarawak could not practice law here unless they comply with the relevant provisions,” he stressed.

Thanking several lawyers especially those from Kuching for lending him support, Voon said the court’s decision over the matter must be respect by them all.

On another matter, Voon claimed that the state immigration laws had been diluted and this had allowed government servants from the Peninsular Malaysia to settle down in Sarawak without going through screening.

“Our Sarawak rights under the MA63 have been diluted especially our immigration rights, allowing government servants from Peninsular Malaysia to settle down here. That is not the spirit of the MA63,” he said.