KUCHING, April 21: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing suggested that Members of Parliament from Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) stand together and tell Putrajaya that it is unconstitutional to move the Registry of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu without consulting the respective Chief Ministers of Sarawak and Sabah.
He made this suggestion based on the news reported yesterday that shocked prominent lawyers and politicians here following the release of a circular by the Office of Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia dated April 19, 2019 to all relevant legal bodies and fraternities in the country and signed by the chief registrar herself Dato Sri Latifah Mohd Tahar.
Masing said that before any changes can made, they should refer to Article 121(4) of the Federal Constitution which stated that “In determining where the principal registry of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak is to be, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall act on advice of the Prime Minister who shall consult the Chief Ministers of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the Chief Judge of the High Court”.
“Here it seems Sarawak may have have lost its rights to be consulted over this issue as mandated or required by the Federal Constitution,” he said. — DayakDaily
