By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, April 12: The High Court here dismissed an originating summons to set aside the order by Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim to admit former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as an advocate in Sarawak.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Alexander Siew How Wai found there was no merit in the said originating summons.
Siew dismissed the originating summons filed by Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan with cost of RM10,000 to be paid by the plaintiff to the defendant.
Former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tan Sri Richard Malanjum and former Chief Justice of Sarawak and Sabah Tan Sri David Wong Dak Wah are Sabahans and had applied to be members of the Sarawak Bar in 2020.
Malanjum retired in April 2019, and Wong retired in February 2020.
On Sept 15, 2020, Abang Iskandar allowed Malanjum to be admitted member of the Sarawak Bar. Wong’s application was also approved on February 2, 2021.
On August 26, Voon applied to intervene, citing safeguarding Sarawak lawyers’ interests, and to ensure that lawyers from outside Sarawak will be blocked from practising in the State, as provided by the Federal Constitution based on the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Voon then filed an application to the High Court to set aside the order of advocate admission under Sarawak Advocates Ordinance 1953 for both Malanjum and Wong.
Malanjum and Wong were represented by Chong Siew Chiang, Tan Kee Heng and Michael Kong whereas Voon was represented by Lim Heng Choo and RJ Noel. — DayakDaily
