KUCHING: The federal government's decision to relocate the Registrar of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu effective May 1 has taken Sarawakian lawyers and lawmakers by surprise, with some questioning whether it is constitutional. PKR lawyer See Chee How said the government must explain the rationale for the move, pointing out that the principal registry of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak had been located in Kuching since the formation of Malaysia. "I am doubtful whether the Sarawak state government was consulted and had given their necessary consent to this relocation of the principal registry office. "It is also to my understanding that members of the Advocates Association of Sarawak (AAS) were not formally consulted and they did not agree to the relocation of this principal registry office from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu," See said. The relocation was announced in a circular dated April 19, signed by Chief Registrar of the Federal Court Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar and reportedly sent to legal bodies and fraternities in the country.

Source: The Star April 21, 2019 08:03 UTC