Kota Kinabalu: THE Court of Appeal proceedings on Sabah’s 40 per cent special grant entitlement attracted considerable public interest, with crowds gathering at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex as early as 7am to follow the hearing.
Prominent figures attending the proceedings included former chief ministers Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, as well as former deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Also present were Nominated Assemblyman Datuk Roger Chin, Chief Minister’s Political Secretary-General Datuk Azrul Ibrahim, Sungai Manila Assemblyman Datuk Hazem Mubarak Musa, Nominated Assemblyman Datuk Razali Razi and several other assemblymen.
Representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), activists and members of the public also turned up in large numbers to observe the proceedings.
The court complex’s 250-capacity conference hall was packed with registered members of the public, who followed the hearing through the court’s audiovisual system after undergoing mandatory security screenings.
The Federal Government was represented by Senior Federal Counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly @ Arwi, Nurhafizza Azizan, Azza Azmi, Safiyyah Omar and Nur Atirah Aiman Rahim.
The Sabah Law Society (SLS) legal team comprised counsels Dr David Fung Yin Kee, Jeyan Marimuttu, Janice Junie Lim, Liew Yung Enn and Vanessa Maria Marimuttu.
The Sabah Government was represented by Attorney-General Datuk Brenndon Keith Soh, Senior State Counsel Mohd Saifurrazee Mohamed @ Hussin and Devina Teo, as well as State Counsel Roland Alik.
The strong turnout reflected the public interest surrounding the appeal, which concerns Sabah’s constitutional entitlement to a 40 per cent special grant and the High Court’s decision on the matter.
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