Hajiji
KOTA KINABALU (Jan 18): Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has lauded the federal government’s proposal to increase High Court Judge posts in Sabah and Sarawak and improve the condition of court buildings in the two states.
Hajiji said it was a good move to deal with the increasing court cases in the Land Below the Wind.
“The proposal is a good one and a wise decision that the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) is giving priority to Sabah and Sarawak to deal with the increase in cases.
“It is also timely that consideration be given to examine the needs of court buildings in Sabah which were found to be in a poor state,” he said in a WhatsApp reply to Bernama.
On Wednesday, Anwar said that the government was looking into the need to increase High Court Judge posts for Sabah and Sarawak following the rise in the number of cases.
Anwar said the Cabinet meeting also agreed for the government to examine the needs of court buildings in Sabah and Sarawak which were found to be in a poor state.
Sabah Law Society (SLS) president Roger Chin also welcomed the federal government’s move.
However, he asked the federal government to also look into other matters regarding judges, courts and laws in Sabah, namely the appointment of Judicial Commissioners and the need to maintain sufficient Sabah and Sarawak representation in the Appellate Courts.
“SLS calls for the return of authority and rights of Sabah and Sarawak by restoring the power of the respective governors to appoint Judicial Commissioners provided for in the Federal Constitution prior to 1994,” Chin said.
He suggested that the government look into elevating the Native Courts of Sabah to be on par with Syariah Courts and allowing advocates recognised by the state Advocates Ordinance to join the Judicial and Legal Services Commission in the country.
Chin also lauded the federal government’s commitment to fulfilling the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), as evident from recent announcements of plans for Sabah to regulate its own electricity and gas supply by setting up the Sabah Energy Commission. – Bernama