DEPUTY Sarawak Chief Minister James Masing has called on state Pakatan Harapan MPs to set aside political differences and stand with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) on Putrajaya’s “unconstitutional” decision to relocate the High Court Registry of Sabah and Sarawak without consulting the state leaders.

De facto law minister Liew Vui Keong had made no mention today of the Sarawak and Sabah chief when explaining the decision to move the registry from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu.

He also did not reply to a query if the Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers were consulted on the move as required by law.

The right to be consulted in the decision is set out in Article 121(4) of the federal constitution which states: “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 has lost its right to be consulted in this issue as required by the federal constitution,” Masing said.

The move has also angered the Sarawak legal fraternity who see the failure to consult the state as another example of Putrajaya riding roughshod over Sarawak’s rights.

Liew did state that the move was “flatly rejected” by the Advocates Association of Sarawak (AAS).

Former state lawmaker Voon Lee Shan of DAP said Putrajaya’s latest action shows “equal partnership” for Sarawak in a Malaysia described in Malaysia Agreement 1963 is a pipe dream. – April 21, 2019.