Public to get live access to Sabah 40pc revenue appeal at Kota Kinabalu court

The Court of Appeal hearing on Sabah's constitutional revenue entitlement will be observed via live audiovisual transmission for up to 250 members at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex on October 29.

The federal government's appeal against the High Court's decision regarding Sabah's entitlement from 1974 to 2021 will not be broadcast online but can be followed live within the court.

The public is encouraged to attend for understanding purposes, not to influence the proceedings, with the appeal beginning at 9am under specific security protocols.

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 29 — Up to 250 members of the public will be able to follow the Court of Appeal hearing on Sabah’s constitutional 40 per cent revenue entitlement next month through a live audiovisual transmission at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex.

The arrangement will allow members of the public to watch the proceedings from the court’s conference hall while the appeal is heard inside the courtroom on Oct 29.

The proceedings will not be broadcast online to the wider public, but the arrangement will allow members of the public to follow the hearing in real time from within the court premises.

The Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear the federal government’s appeal against the High Court’s October 17, 2025 decision in the judicial review brought by the Sabah Law Society (SLS).

Former SLS president Datuk Roger Chin, who is now a nominated assemblyman, said the public access arrangement provided an opportunity for Sabahans to witness the proceedings concerning what he described as a significant constitutional issue.

“This is not an online broadcast of the proceedings to the wider world, but something more immediate and meaningful for the people of Sabah — an opportunity to attend the Court Complex, sit within the premises of the Court and follow the hearing in real time,” he said in a statement today.

The appeal concerns, among other matters, the High Court’s findings and orders relating to Sabah’s constitutional entitlement for the period from 1974 to 2021.

The High Court had ruled that the Federal Government had failed to properly conduct the periodic review of Sabah’s special grant under Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution.

It ordered the federal and Sabah governments to conduct a review of the entitlement for each financial year from 1974 to 2021 and to reach an agreement on the matter.

The federal government subsequently appealed, and the Court of Appeal in April granted a stay of execution of the High Court’s order pending disposal of the appeal. The stay preserved the position pending the appeal and did not determine the substantive constitutional questions.

Under Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution, Sabah is entitled to a special grant calculated according to a constitutional formula and subject to periodic review.

The SLS has maintained that the failure to conduct the required reviews between 1974 and 2021 was unlawful, while the federal government’s position is that the fixed grant under the earlier review order remained legally effective until it was superseded by a new order in 2022.

The competing positions will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Chin said the public viewing arrangement would provide wider access to a hearing which previously could only accommodate a limited number of people inside the courtroom.

He said the initiative should be viewed as an opportunity for the public to understand the legal arguments rather than as an attempt to influence the court.

“The purpose of attending is not to prejudge the appeal, exert pressure upon the Court or influence its decision, but to allow an informed, peaceful and engaged people to bear witness to a constitutional question that belongs to all Sabahans,” he said.

The appeal is scheduled to begin at 9am on Thursday, October 29, at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex.

Members of the public attending the viewing will be subject to the capacity of the conference hall, security requirements and directions issued by the court and court administration.

Chin encouraged those intending to attend to arrive early to allow sufficient time for security procedures.

“History should not be watched from afar. On Oct 29, let Sabah be present — and let Sabah be seen to care,” he said.

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10月29日，沙巴州宪法收入权利上诉法院听证会在亚庇法院大楼举行，届时将通过现场视听传输的方式，供多达250名成员旁听。

联邦政府就沙巴州 1974 年至 2021 年的拨款权利问题向高等法院提出的上诉，不会在网上直播，但可以在法庭内现场观看。

鼓励公众到场了解情况，但不要试图影响诉讼程序。上诉听证会将于上午 9 点在特定的安全规程下开始。

哥打基纳巴卢，9月29日讯——下个月，多达250名公众将能够通过哥打基纳巴卢法院大楼的现场视听直播，旁听上诉法院关于沙巴州宪法规定的40%收入权利的听证会。

根据这项安排，公众可以在10月29日法庭审理上诉案件的同时，在法庭会议厅观看庭审过程。

庭审过程不会向公众进行网络直播，但允许公众在法院内实时旁听庭审。

上诉法院将审理联邦政府对高等法院 2025 年 10 月 17 日裁决的上诉，该裁决是沙巴律师协会 (SLS) 提起的司法审查。

前沙巴州议员协会主席拿督罗杰·陈（Datuk Roger Chin）目前是州议员，他表示，公众旁听安排为沙巴人民提供了一个机会，让他们能够见证有关他所说的重大宪法问题的诉讼程序。

“这不是向全世界进行庭审的网络直播，而是对沙巴人民来说更直接、更有意义的事情——让他们有机会亲临法院大楼，坐在法院内，实时旁听庭审，”他今天在一份声明中说。

此次上诉涉及高等法院关于沙巴在 1974 年至 2021 年期间的宪法权利的调查结果和命令等事项。

高等法院裁定，联邦政府未能按照联邦宪法第 112C 条和第 112D 条的规定，对沙巴的特别拨款进行定期审查。

它命令联邦政府和沙巴州政府对 1974 年至 2021 年每个财政年度的应得款项进行审查，并就此事达成协议。

联邦政府随后提起上诉，上诉法院于四月批准暂缓执行最高法院的裁决，等待上诉结果。该暂缓执行令维持了上诉期间的现状，但并未对实质性的宪法问题作出裁决。

根据联邦宪法第 112C 条和第 112D 条，沙巴有权获得根据宪法公式计算的特别拨款，并接受定期审查。

SLS 一直坚持认为，1974 年至 2021 年间未能进行必要的审查是非法的，而联邦政府的立场是，根据之前的审查令授予的固定拨款在法律上仍然有效，直到 2022 年被新的命令取代。

现在，上诉法院将审理双方的立场。

陈先生表示，公众旁听安排将使更多人有机会旁听庭审，而此前法庭内只能容纳有限数量的人。

他表示，这项举措应该被视为公众了解法律论点的机会，而不是试图影响法院。

他说：“出席的目的不是为了预先判断上诉结果，也不是为了向法院施压或影响其判决，而是为了让知情、和平、积极参与的人民见证一个属于所有沙巴人的宪法问题。”

上诉听证会定于10月29日星期四上午9点在亚庇法院大楼举行。

公众参观须遵守会议厅的容量、安全要求以及法院和法院行政部门发布的指示。

秦鼓励打算参加的人早点到达，以便有足够的时间进行安检。

“历史不应被远远地旁观。10月29日，让沙巴参与其中——让世人看到沙巴的关心，”他说。

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