The Sabah Attorney-General’s Chambers will represent the state government instead.
KOTA KINABALU: Contentious lawyer Tengku Datuk Fuad Ahmad, who represented the Sabah government in the Sabah Law Society (SLS) suit against Putrajaya over the 40% Special Interim Grant provisions, has been replaced at the eleventh hour.
According to a court document sighted by Scoop, the Sabah Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will appear for the state government tomorrow when the Court of Appeal decides on Putrajaya’s appeal against the judicial review leave granted to SLS.
The notice also said the appointment of the state AGC was effective May 21, 2024.
A screenshot of the notice has also been circulating on social media and messaging platforms.
Scoop has reached out to SLS and state leaders.
On May 16, the Court of Appeal 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.
Judges fixed May 24 for case management to set the date for the decision after hearing submissions from all parties. It was learned that the case management will be conducted virtually via an online filing system.
The federal government is appealing against the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s decision on November 11, 2022, which granted SLS leave to seek judicial review regarding the matter to compel the return of 40% of federal revenue earned from the state according to the Federal Constitution.
During the hearing that day, Fuad who represented the Sabah government made the application to intervene in the appeal which was granted by the Court of Appeal.
Fuad’s move has invited heavy criticism from various parties, as the intervention came as a surprise to all parties including SLS, and his intention or that of the Sabah government was unclear.
To date, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and state AG Nor Asiah have not explained Fuad’s presence in court that day, and the purpose of the intervention.
However, Hajiji and Nor Asiah issued statements that assured the people that the Sabah government and the Sabah AGC remained firm in fighting for the state’s 40% entitlement as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. – www.scoop.my
