Nearly 500 lawsuits filed against Sabah govt - Hajiji

A total of 491 lawsuits were filed against the Sabah government from 2019 to last year, the Sabah state legislative assembly was informed yesterday.

Chief Minister Hajiji Noor clarified that among these cases, the government won in 110 instances, which encompassed cases struck out and set aside by the court, while three cases resulted in defeat.

“Meanwhile, 378 cases fell under the category where the state government abided by the court’s decision, cases dismissed by the court, consent orders, and ongoing cases,” he said while winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for Yang di-Pertua Negeri Juhar Mahiruddin’s policy speech at the sitting.

Hajiji noted that most cases were against the Sabah Land and Survey Department (JTU) and the Sabah State Water Department (Jans).

He stated that during the same period, 221 cases were filed against JTU, mainly involving land acquisition for the Pan Borneo Highway project and land development by the state and federal governments.

He said the Jans cases mostly revolved around completed works where payments could not be settled due to incomplete documentation.

Hajiji explained that these documents were seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for the investigation of Jans cases, leading to payments owed to contractors being stalled.

“A total of 120 Jans cases were received, involving claims of RM14.72 million. However, it is reported that all these cases have been successfully resolved and paid,” he added.

The motion of thanks was then passed unanimously and speaker M Kadzim Yahya adjourned the session. The sitting continues today.

- Bernama