SANDAKAN – Radio silence from state attorney-general (AG) Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof has riled up proponents of Sabah’s push for Putrajaya to honour the 40% grant revenue.
Among them is former assemblyman Datuk James Ligunjang, who questioned why Nor Asiah has been keeping mum despite the conflict surrounding the state’s intervention in the suit brought against Putrajaya by the Sabah Law Society (SLS).
He said the state AG should be at the forefront in advocating for Sabah’s rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Federal Constitution.
“Where is the state AG in all this fiasco? The people of Sabah are waiting for you to offer legal directions. She (Nor Asiah) should be the chief legal adviser for the Sabah government on all matters relating to constitutional rights and legal issues.
“Her complete silence on such an important issue as the state government’s 40% entitlement has left many questioning her competency to occupy the office of state AG,” he said in a statement today.
Ligunjang said the state AG’s advocacy is crucial to protect the interests of the state and the people of Sabah, that justice is pursued in accordance with the law.
“Outsourcing these issues to private lawyers may undermine the competence of the state AG’s office. She should be actively engaging with and addressing the legal issues affecting Sabah, providing clear guidance and support to the state government.”
On Thursday, counsel Tengku Datuk Fuad Tengku Ahmad who represented the Sabah government made the application to intervene in the appeal which was granted by the Court of Appeal.
However, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan told Scoop that Fuad has no standing to speak on the state government’s behalf as he was not appointed to work on the case.
At the point of writing, Nor Asiah has not made a statement regarding the suit.
The Court of Appeal also fixed May 24 for case management after a three-person bench adjourned its decision on the federal government’s appeal against the leave granted to SLS to seek a judicial review regarding the state’s 40% grant revenue. – May 18, 2024