DATUK Seri Hajiji Noor dodged questions on the controversy surrounding the state’s alleged legal blunder over the 40% revenue entitlement issue.
This is the second time the Sabah chief minister has avoided the media since the controversy broke last Thursday.
He also refused to talk when approached over the same matter during the Sabah Youth Carnival 2024 held three days ago.
Hajiji could only be heard saying “next time” when the press approached him as he left a function at the Sabah International Convention Centre today.
He later indicated that his office would issue a statement as he was about to get into his vehicle.
The federal government is trying to set aside the high court decision to grant leave to the Sabah Law Society (SLS) to carry out a judicial review of Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement.
But the lawyer representing the state, Tengku Fuad Ahmad, during the appeal on May 16, claimed the state’s revenue entitlement is merely “aspirational” and that it was not an “absolute right.”
The incident had caused a public uproar.
Since then, there have been calls to overhaul the state government and remove the current Sabah attorney-general from office.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, meanwhile, said action will be taken by the state cabinet.
Sabah AG Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof is currently on a working visit to Europe, along with several senior state officials, including Sabah Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong. – May 21, 2024.
