Sabah Law Society Urges Full Compliance with Court-Ordered Review on State Revenue Rights

14 January 2026

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Law Society has called for strict and substantive compliance with a High Court directive requiring a constitutional review of Sabah’s entitlement to 40 per cent of net revenue derived from the State, as provided under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.

Its President, Datuk Mohamed Nazim Maduarin, said the court’s direction engages the Constitution at the highest level and carries clear legal consequences that cannot be treated lightly or selectively.

He stressed that compliance with the court order requires more than the formal initiation of a process, emphasising that the review must be genuine, substantive and conducted in line with the purpose and timelines stipulated by the court.

“A review under Article 112D cannot be satisfied through preliminary or episodic engagement,” he said in a statement today.

“The constitutional duty recognised by the judgment envisages serious, sustained and purposeful engagement between the Federal Government and the Sabah State Government, directed towards achieving an outcome that gives practical effect to the Constitution.”

Mohamed Nazim underscored that High Court judgments are binding and that compliance is neither discretionary nor subject to political preference or convenience. He added that the timelines set by the court form an integral part of the constitutional process and are inseparable from the proper administration of justice.

He noted that the review process has now reached a stage where substantive engagement is no longer optional but constitutionally required, given the defined timeframe prescribed by the court for its completion.

“The court’s direction marks a point at which history, contribution and constitutional obligation are no longer abstract concepts, but matters that demand legal recognition,” he said.

He cautioned that any approach falling short of timely and substantive engagement risks undermining both the judgment itself and the constitutional process ordered by the court.

The Sabah Law Society further emphasised that public confidence in the rule of law depends on the faithful, timely and substantive observance of court orders, particularly in cases involving significant constitutional rights and the welfare of an entire state and its people.

“The Society therefore underscores the importance of ensuring that the court-directed process under Article 112D is approached with the urgency, seriousness and good faith envisaged by the judgment, and carried out in a manner that reflects its constitutional character,” he said.