Warisan rubbishes claim that Sabah AG paid RM60,000 a month

 

Warisan vice-president Jaujan Sambakong (left) blames bloggers for trying to get rid of Sabah AG Brenndon Soh.

PETALING JAYA: Warisan has denied allegations by bloggers that Sabah state Attorney-General Brenndon Soh received a monthly salary of RM60,000 a month.

Describing the claim as outlandish, Warisan vice-president Jaujan Sambakong said another spurious claim was that the government had paid prominent lawyer Cyrus Das legal fees amounting to RM3 million to contest a suit on the dissolution of the state assembly.

He urged the public to be more discerning and not be misled by bloggers friendly to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

Jaujan clarified that Soh’s job contract was the same as those signed by three state AGs appointed from private practice in the past.

“His salary is as specified in the Sabah state civil service scale for his grade, which is Utama Turus II,” said Jaujan.

He said Soh was a respected lawyer who had sacrificed his lucrative private practice to serve the government on a much-reduced salary.

He said it would be unfair for anyone to smear him with such unsubstantiated claims of receiving a grossly exaggerated salary in their bid to oust him from the post.

As a highly regarded lawyer in the legal fraternity, Soh had held the post of the Sabah Law Society president for two terms, Jaujan said.

“It was also during his term that the society was elevated to a fully-fledged statutory Bar.”

He also rubbished the bloggers’ claim that Das was paid RM3 million to represent the state government and then chief minister Shafie Apdal in the Court of Appeal to defend a suit on the dissolution of the state assembly.

“This is another ludicrous claim by pro-GRS bloggers as Das was paid in accordance with his professional fees for appearing in court.

“The RM3 million allegation was in no way close to what his fees were,” he said, adding that it would be unprofessional to divulge the actual amount paid. - FMT