Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (March 3): The Johor Bahru High Court has today dismissed an application by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to transfer a legal challenge by Pasir Gudang PKR MP Hassan Karim to the suspension of Parliament to the High Court here.

With this, Judicial Commissioner Evrol Mariette Peters fixed April 30 to hear the leave application by the lawmaker.

Hassan was represented by Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar and Christopher Leong while S Narkunavathy appeared for the AGC.

Gurdial confirmed with theedgemarkets.com the decision by the Johor Bahru High Court today.

It was reported that the AGC had on Feb 8 had opposed Hassan's application for leave to be heard in Johor Bahru and wanted to combine the case with other cases filed here.

He was the first elected representative to file a challenge to the suspension of Parliament that was announced following the proclamation of emergency on Jan 11.

Due to the AGC’s opposition, Peters postponed the hearing of the leave application that day and fixed Feb 18 for submissions on the AGC’s application to transfer the case to KL, which she dismissed today following an objection made by Hassan's legal team.

Hassan had filed the judicial review at the Johor Bahru court on Jan 27, and named Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the government as respondents. A certificate of urgency was also filed.

He is seeking several declarations including that Section 14 of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 is unconstitutional and inconsistent with Articles 44, 150(3) and 150(5) of the Federal Constitution.

The Pasir Gudang representative also wants Section 15 of the Ordinance to be declared unconstitutional and inconsistent with Article 71 of the constitution.

Sections 14 and 15 relate to Parliament and state legislative assembly seatings, which have been suspended until Aug 1.

Besides Hassan, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Amanah Negara deputy president and Pulai MP Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, PKR’s Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul and DAP assemblyman for Tebing Tinggi Dr Abdul Aziz Bari also filed similar challenges.

Staunch Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad supporter Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan has also initiated legal challenges against the suspension of Parliament.

However, last month, the Yang di Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has stated that Parliament may convene during the emergency period on a date considered appropriate by the ruler, based on the advice of the prime minister.

Edited ByLam Jian Wyn
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