Kota Kinabalu: Lawyer Chin Tek Ming of Parti Warisan praised the Court of Appeal for dismissing the federal Attorney-General’s appeal against Sabah Sabah Law Society’s (SLS) leave to commence Judicial Review to enforce Sabah’s 40pc special grant under the Federal Constitution.
“The dismissal of the appeal with no order as to costs enabled the matter to proceed in the Kota Kinabalu High Court for the merit of the SLS’s application to be heard.
“This, in turn, means the Federal Government’s contention that issues relating to special grant were non-justiciable and that court is precluded from hearing the case carries no weight and is wrong.
“It flows from here that the High Court has to hear the SLS’s challenge to quash the 2022 gazette which states that the Federal Government will make grant payments to Sabah totalling RM527.2 million covering the years 2022 to 2026.
“On top of that, the Federal Government ought to hold another review under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution to properly reflect Sabah’s 40pc entitlement,” Chin said in a statement.
“I urge the Federal Government not to appeal the decision and let the Judicial Review proceed in the High Court.
“Why let Sabahans go through so much hassle to champion for their rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution in Court?
“Just allocate the 40pc grant immediately according to the Federal Constitution, end of story,” Chin said.
