THE country’s top four judges had decided to reverse their decision to relocate the High Court Registry of Sabah and Sarawak, said de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong.

The top four judges are the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief judge of Malaya and the chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

“I was notified this afternoon by the Registrar of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak that the relocation will not take place on May 1 as scheduled earlier.

“All parties have been duly notified by way of a court circular dated April 23, 2019,” he said in a statement today.

The decision had caused an uproar among Sarawak lawyers and politicians, who said the move violated Article 121(4) of the federal constitution as the chief ministers of both Sabah and Sarawak were not consulted over the matter.

Liew did not state the reason for the U-turn but only said that it was “again a judicial decision,” and not one made by him.  

Previously, he said it was former chief justice Richard Malanjum who had wanted the registry moved to Kota Kinabalu following the completion of the new Kota Kinabalu Court Complex last year.

The idea was not only agreed to by the top management, but also the other four top judges in the country.

Only the Advocates’ Association of Sarawak had flatly rejected the idea.

The registry has been in Sarawak for the last 55 years.

Liew said Malanjum had written to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad seeking permission to move the registry to Kota Kinabalu, which he granted.

Thereafter, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong early this month granted his royal assent to move the registry to Kota Kinabalu, effective May 1.

Liew, however, came under fire following his explanation, with some senior lawyers claiming the move as “clearly politically motivated” by him.

Towards this end, Liew told The Malaysian Insight that he had no qualms against his attackers, making it clear that the decision to relocate the registry was not his.  

He said he only knew about it based on circular issued on April 19, which he then confirmed with the Court Registry itself, and had also met with the prime minister.

It is learnt that Liew had met with Dr Mahathir to resolve the relocation controversy.  

He hopes that now the matter is resolved, all parties will put this matter behind them. – April 23, 2019.