Court of Appeal resumes hearing of appeal over Sabah assembly dissolution

The Court of Appeal resumed at noon today the hearing of an appeal over the dissolution of the Sabah legislative assembly on July 30.

A three-panel bench chaired by Justice Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil is hearing the appeal. The two other judges are Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Supang Lian.

The court began hearing the appeal yesterday and had adjourned proceedings to today after hearing part of the submissions by yesterday evening.

Former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman and 32 other assemblymen are appealing against a Kota Kinabalu High Court decision dismissing their application for leave for a judicial review to challenge the decision of Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin in dissolving the state assembly on July 30.

The court is hearing submissions from counsel Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin, who is representing the 33 assemblymen; Sabah Attorney-General Brenndon Keith Soh, who is acting for Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin; and counsel Datuk Cyrus Das, who is appearing for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and the state government.

Firoz completed his submission yesterday. Das, who began submitting yesterday, is continuing with his submission today.

Senior Federal Counsel Suzana Atan is appearing for the Election Commission (EC).

Following the dissolution of the state assembly, the EC set Sept 12 for nomination and Sept 26 for polling in the 16th Sabah state election.

-- BERNAMA