By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Sept 15: The High Court here today dismissed the intervener application by Parti Bumi Kenyalang President Voon Lee Shan on two prominent non-Sarawakians’ request to practice law in Sarawak with the cost of RM 30,000.
Chief Justice of Sarawak and Sabah Datuk Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim dismissed the applications made by Voon to hearing the submissions from the representatives of all parties involved, that is the applicants, petitioners, Sarawak Attorney General (SAG) and Advocates Association of Sarawak(AAS).
The Counsel of both petitioners, former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tan Sri Richard Malajum and former Chief Justice of Sarawak and Sabah Tan Sri David Wong Dak Wah asked for the cost of RM 5,000 for each petitioner, as well as the SAG and AAS.
Chief Justice of Sarawak and Sabah Datuk Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim ordered the applicant to pay the cost of RM5,000 to each petitioner and each party involved.
The High Court ruled that under Section 5(2) of the Sarawak Advocates Ordinance(SAO) only confers to the rights to the AAS and SAG, the Ordinance did not give the rights to other parties, only AAS and SAGÂ are entitled to receive the petition and to be heard in Court.
Court also ruled that Voon’s petition under Order 15(6) of the SAO is not relevant, therefore no right to come before the Court to object.
Voon said he brought up the issue to High Court to safeguard Sarawak lawyers’ interest as provided by the Federal Constitution based on the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and to ensure that lawyers from outside Sarawak will be blocked to practice in the state.
The intervener application made by Voon on August 26 was regarding former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tan Sri Richard Malajum and former Chief Justice of Sarawak and Sabah Tan Sri David Wong Dak Wah. Both Richard and Wong are Sabahans.
Both Richard and David Wong applied for an exemption of the whole period of pupillage as prescribed by Section 4 (1A) of the Advocates Ordinance (Sarawak Cap. 110) and under Section 4 (1B) (a) of the Advocates Ordinance (Sarawak Cap. 110).
Voon was represented by Patrick Voon King Fatt, Tiong Ing Neng, Ardi Termizi, Bartholomew Lopez, R.J. Noel, Lim Heng Choo,Steven Sia and Peli Aron.
Sarawak Attorney General was represented by Nur Azhar Bujang and Tarmizi Mohamad Tazuddin while the Association of Advocates Sarawak by Rambir Singh. Both petitioners were represented by Tan Kee Heng and Chong Siew Chiang. — DayakDaily
