THE SPEAKER OF DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI SARAWAK DATUK AMAR MOHAMAD ASFIA AWANG NASSAR 1. TING TIONG CHOON (KP: 651031-13-5119) 2. DATO SERI WONG SOON KOH 3. DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI SARAWAK 4. SURUHANJAYA PILIHAN RAYA MALAYSIA

THE SPEAKER OF DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI SARAWAK DATUK AMAR MOHAMAD ASFIA AWANG NASSAR 1. TING TIONG CHOON (KP: 651031-13-5119) 2. DATO SERI WONG SOON KOH 3. DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI SARAWAK 4. SURUHANJAYA PILIHAN RAYA MALAYSIA

On the proper construction of Articles 17(1)(g) and 19(1) of the Sarawak Constitution read with the Federal Constitution, disqualification incurred pre‑election is for the Election Court and not the Dewan to determine; the Dewan therefore had no jurisdiction to disqualify the respondent for a pre‑election disqualification and the Ministerial Motion of 12.5.2017 was without jurisdiction and unlawful; appeals dismissed and Court of Appeal majority judgment upheld.

Citation
01(f)-20-08/2019(Q) (Mahkamah Persekutuan)
Parties
Appellant (speaker of Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak): Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar; Respondent: Ting Tiong Choon; Appellant/respondent: Dato Seri Wong Soon Koh; Appellant/respondent: Dewan Undangan Negeri of Sarawak; Respondent: Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya Malaysia
Court
f
Jurisdiction
Malaysia
Judgment Date
11 February 2020
Case Number
01(f)-20-08/2019(Q) (Mahkamah Persekutuan)
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Final Appellate Determination (federal Court)
Outcome
Appeals dismissed; majority judgment and orders of the Court of Appeal upheld
Legal Topics
Disqualification of Elected Members, Pre Election Vs Post Election Disqualification, Constitutional Interpretation, Justiciability, Dual/foreign Citizenship
Source Language
Malay/English
Constitutional Law Electoral Law Administrative Law Judicial Review Parliamentary Privilege Disqualification of Elected Members Pre Election Vs Post Election Disqualification Constitutional Interpretation +2 more

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Parties

Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar

Appellant (speaker of Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak)

Ting Tiong Choon

Respondent

Dato Seri Wong Soon Koh

Appellant/respondent

Dewan Undangan Negeri of Sarawak

Appellant/respondent

Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya Malaysia

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Final Appellate Determination (federal Court)

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the Dewan Undangan Negeri of Sarawak has jurisdiction under Article 19(1) to disqualify a member for a disqualification incurred pre-election (Article 17(1)(g))
  2. 2 Whether the Dewan's proceedings on disqualification are justiciable in light of Article 72(1) Federal Constitution
  3. 3 Whether pre-election disqualification is exclusively for the Election Court under Article 118 Federal Constitution

Ratio Decidendi

On the proper construction of Articles 17(1)(g) and 19(1) of the Sarawak Constitution read with the Federal Constitution, disqualification incurred pre‑election is for the Election Court and not the Dewan to determine; the Dewan therefore had no jurisdiction to disqualify the respondent for a pre‑election disqualification and the Ministerial Motion of 12.5.2017 was without jurisdiction and unlawful; appeals dismissed and Court of Appeal majority judgment upheld.

Court Disposition

Appeals dismissed; majority judgment and orders of the Court of Appeal upheld

Orders

  • Appeals dismissed
  • No order as to costs