Yong slams Sabah Water chief’s defiance of court order

Former Sabah chief minister Yong Teck Lee.

PETALING JAYA: Former Sabah chief minister Yong Teck Lee has criticised Sabah Water Department director Amarjit Singh for continuing in his capacity despite a High Court ruling that his appointment was illegal.

In a statement, the SAPP president said Amarjit’s decision is exposing the state government to more legal risks.

It was earlier reported that Amarjit would continue working as usual after he was told to do so by Chief Minister Shafie Apdal and state Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony.

The High Court had recently ruled that Amarjit’s appointment as the department’s chief contravened Section 3 of Sabah’s Water Supply Enactment 2003, which states that senior posts can only be filled by civil servants.

Amarjit, who never served in the civil sector before, was appointed to the post in August last year, some two months after Warisan took over the Sabah state government.

“I am appalled to read that Datuk Amarjit has relied on the two phone calls from the chief minister and another call from his minister ‘to continue to work’ as Water Department director,” said Yong, who filed the suit against Amarjit’s appointment in March.

“This behaviour is in clear defiance of the law. Such defiant behaviour further reinforces the view that he is not qualified as a public servant.”

Yong said if government leaders continued to disregard the law and defy court judgements, legal actions should be explored to make them personally responsible for their actions.

He added that if Amarjit had behaved as a civil servant, he would have sought further instructions from the state secretary rather than relying on the authority of his political leaders.

“Should the law allow such leaders to act with impunity and knowingly against the law which puts the government at risk of further damages and losses?” - FMT

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