KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Attorney-General Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof said the state Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) will persist in the fight for all Sabah rights as outlined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
"Our journey is far from over, and our commitment to justice, autonomy, and the welfare of our people remains resolute," she said, during the opening of the legal year 2024 for Sabah and Sarawak at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC).
Nor Asiah highlighted a significant milestone achieved on Jan 3, this year, during a special sitting of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly.
Three bills related to the takeover of regulatory authority over energy-related matters by the state government from the federal government were successfully passed.
The bills included the Sabah Energy Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Sabah Renewable Energy Bill 2024, and the Electricity Supply Bill 2024.
"What makes this achievement truly commendable is the fact that, on the same day, due to the urgency and importance of the Bills, the Chambers had also worked diligently to have a total of 10 regulations; four regulations under the Electricity Supply Bill 2024 and six regulations under the Sabah Renewable Energy Bill 2024 which were safely passed and gazetted," she said.
She emphasised that despite the jurisdictional complexities surrounding matters related to electricity, gas, and energy, falling under the Federal List, the AGC was able to legislate on these crucial issues, thanks to Article 95C of the Federal Constitution.
Nor Asiah, as the principal legal advisor to the Sabah government, stressed the role of the state AGC in upholding the law and safeguarding the interests of the state.
She reiterated the commitment to providing legal advice and services of the highest quality, emphasizing the duty to advise the state government in alignment with the law.
"Upholding the Rule of Law is not only our duty but our collective responsibility," she said.
Meanwhile, Solicitor-General of Malaysia Datuk Almalena Sharmila Johan highlighted AGC's involvement in various significant policy-making committees, including the Special Council on the Implementation of MA63.
She said AGC's active participation in negotiations and consultations between the Federal Government and the State Governments of Sabah and Sarawak, focusing on claims to restore the status envisaged in the MA63.
