KOTA KINABALU, Oct 15 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong today defended Sabah government in appointing water engineer Datuk Amarjit Singh as the state Water Department director.
Liew said the High Court decision erred in its judgement for saying Amarjit's appointment was in contravention of the Sabah Water Supply Enactment, and that the candidate for the director’s position did not need to come from the civil service.
“I believe that Section 3 of the Sabah Water Supply Enactment 2003 does not apply to the director’s position,” he said.
Section 3 of the enactment states that the appointment to a senior officer post must be from among the members of the public service.
“Using a literal translation, the director’s position cannot be equated with that of a normal pegawai or officer as provided in Section 3(2) of the enactment. Section 2 states that the State Water Authority is the director, so Section 3 does not include the director’s position,” he said.
Nevertheless, Liew said that he respects the court’s decision and would wait for its decision on the state government’s appeal.
Last week, Kota Kinabalu High Court judge Ravinthran Paramaguru declared the appointment of Amarjit, a Party Warisan Sabah member, as invalid because it was against Section 3 of the Sabah Water Supply Enactment 2003.
The suit was filed by former Sabah chief minister and opposition leader Datuk Yong Teck Lee and Tawau businessman Pang Thou Chung on March 19 to obtain a court declaration that Amarjit’s appointment in August last year was not according to the law.
The state government has since asked Amarjit to continue service while they appeal the decision.
