Decision on Dr Ting’s suit against disqualification today

KUCHING: The High Court has fixed today to deliver decision on the originating summons filed by former Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon.

Judge Datuk Douglas Christo Primus Sikayun fixed the date after both parties had finished their submission of the case.

As the case has a direct bearing on the approaching Pujut byelection, the decision will have to be made as soon as possible, the judge said.

Two days were set aside for the defendants and plaintiff to make their arguments on the originating summons made by Dr Ting to challenge the Dewan Undangan Negeri’s decision to disqualify him as a member of the august House.

On Thursday, the respondents’ legal team submitted lengthy argument in the court about the disloyalty of the plaintiff as well as the DUN jurisdiction on its members.

Yesterday, the plaintiff said the term of loyalty is subjective.

Dr Ting had named the DUN, DUN speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Malaysian Election Commission as the defendants. In the summons, Dr Ting was seeking for a declaration that his disqualification under Article 17(1)(g) of the Sarawak Constitution is null and void.

State attorney general Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid represented the DUN while counsels Shankar Ram Asnani and Grace Lee represented Mohd Asfia and Wong respectively. Counsel for the Election Commission was Azizan Arshad.

Chong Siew Chiang led the legal team for Dr Ting.

Talat (fifth from right) and Chong (sixth from right) posing with the legal teams of the defendants and plaintiff outside the High Court room after the hearing yesterday.

Ong being escorted by a Prisons Department officer after the sentencing on Thursday.