Sabah A-G Quits As Legal Adviser

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Attorney-General Datuk Anthony Roderic Fernandez (pic) dropped a bombshell in the midst of the high-profile Mazu statue civil suit by quitting as the state’s top legal adviser.

Fernandez submitted his resignation to Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah on Friday. However, he told The Star that his resignation was due to “personal and family reasons.”

“It is just the timing. It has nothing to do with it (Mazu case),” said the 50-year-old Fernandez, who headed the state’s defence in the suit by former chief minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat over the revocation of approval for the Mazu statue by the state government.

The sudden resignation of Fernandez, who was appointed for a three-year term as state Attorney-General in May 2006, came to light at the hearing of the Mazu case before Judicial Commissioner Yew Jen Kie at the High Court here yesterday.

The court was informed that a legal firm, Shelley Yap Leong Tseu Chong Chia and Co, has now been appointed by the state to represent three of the four defendants including Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman following Fernandez’s resignation.

The state’s new defence lawyer Richard Barnes asked the court to adjourn the case for three months. Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not object. The court set May 4 as the next hearing date.

Fernandez was a senior partner in the legal firm Shelley Yap before taking up the Sabah Attorney-General’s position. Chong was the retired partner of the same company.

Last week, Chong testified in the case and was scheduled for cross-examination by Fernandez yesterday.

Apart from Musa, the other defendants in the suit are former State Secretary Datuk K.Y. Mustafa, permanent secretary to the Local Government and Housing Ministry Datuk Ujang Sulani and the Kudat Town Board.

Info above is taken from The Star

Sabah, Sabah State Cabinet Members Latest

Ministry	Minister	Assistant Minister
Chief Minister's Department	Chief Minister YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman Chief Minister Official Website	YB Datuk Nasrun Datu Mansur(I) YB Datuk Edward Khoo Keok Hai(II) YB Datuk Radin Malleh(III)
	Minister in the Chief Minister's Dept YB Datuk Nasir Tun Sakaran
Ministry of Finance	YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman	YB Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan YB Melanie Chia Chui Ket
Ministry of Rural Development	Deputy Chief Minister YB Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan	YB Datuk Sairin Karno
Ministry of Infrastructure Development	Deputy Chief Minister YB Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah	YB Datuk Michael Asang YB Datuk Japlin Akim
Ministry of Agriculture & Food Industry	Deputy Chief Minister YB Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Yahya Hussin	YB Datuk Bobbey Ahfang Suan YB Datuk Musbah Haji Jamil
Ministry of Local Government & Housing	YB Datuk Hajiji Mohd Noor	YB Edward Yong Oui Fah YB Datuk Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar
Ministry of Industrial Development	YB Datuk Ewon Ebin	YB Jainab Datuk Ahmad
Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Environment	YB Datuk Masidi Manjun	YB Bolkiah Ismail YB Datuk Ellron Angin
Ministry of Resource Development & Information Technology	YB Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai	YB Donald Peter Mojuntin
Ministry of Community Development & Consumer Affairs	YB Datuk Hajah Azizah Mohd Dun	YB Herbert Timbun Lagadan
Ministry of Youth & Sports	YB Peter Pang En Yin	YB Jahid Jahim

Sabah, YAB Datuk Musa Haji Aman The Current Chief Minister Of Sabah

Since his early days in primary school he was fascinated with the world of business. Every school holiday was an opportune time to lend a hand in his father's retail business. As soon as his schooling days were over he took a bold step, as early as 1973, to pursue his business interests in Sandakan. Guided by hard work and strong discipline this young Bumiputera entrepreneur chose to engage in a challenging new venture. Sure enough, under his able stewardship Syarikat Musman Holdings Sdn Bhd began to grow from its humble beginning. It was only a matter of time before the company had under its umbrella a number of thriving subsidiaries engaged in various sectors. Among them were stevedoring, plantations, building and construction, property development, finance and insurance, transport and shipping..

His extensive business experience and expertise brought him to lend his services for the benefit of the state and the nation. At the state level, among others, he was appointed as the Executive Chairman of SEDCO, Chief Executive Officer of Innoprise Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Chairman of Innoprise International Incorporated, and Chairman of Sabah Softwood Sdn. Bhd. At the national level, Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman led City Finance Berhad as its long standing Chairman..

As a successful businessman he does not lose sight of his responsibility to lend his hand to assist other enterprising businessmen, especially from amongst the Bumiputera. For more than 10 years he served as the Chairman of the Sabah Bumiputera Chambers of Commerce. During his tenure he turned this ailing organization, burdened with debts, to one that currently holds strategic assets in plantations and power generation. In recognition of his excellent contributions over the years, he has been made its present patron.

His vast experience in business was also put to good use in leading the Sabah Foundation. He served both as the Deputy Chairman, at the level of the Board of Trustees, as well as leading the management of this prime welfare organization, as its Director. He was appointed as a member of MAPEN 1 (1989-1991), representing the state. In 2001 he was made a permanent member of the Sabah State Development Council.

Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman's concern for the welfare and advancement of people of Sabah led him to enter politics. As early as 1989, the late Tun Datu Mustapha, fondly remembered as 'Bapa Kemerdekaan Sabah', invited him to be USNO's treasurer. Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman stood as USNO's candidate for the Sugut constituency in the 1990's state election. He failed in his maiden bid to win the seat. However, it did not deter him from continuing his political struggle. In fact this setback led to him to hold even more dearly to one of his principles - never lose heart and never give in to defeat.

The contemporary political scenario was not conducive for the future development and progress of the bumiputeras. This moved him to be one of the founder members who invited UMNO to expand its wings into Sabah. His commitment towards UMNO grew even further when he was appointed the first Protem Treasurer of UMNO in Sabah. Soon after, Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman took on the challenge to win the crucial party post of Divisional Head of Libaran. In 1992 he was also appointed as the Treasurer of Sabah Barisan Nasional..

In the State Election, held in 1994, Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman contest and won the Sg. Sibuga state seat. Thus, began a new responsibility as a member of the State Legislative Assembly. Endowed with a strong commitment to serve his constituency well he won the same seat handsomely in the 1999 State Election. He was returned with the highest majority among the 24 seats contested by UMNO.

Like the success achieved in business Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman's political career began to ascend. Following the victory in the state election in 1999 he moved on to become a full state cabinet member. He was appointed the Minister in the Chief Minister's Department. In 2001, he became the state's Finance Minister. His political career took on even greater heights when he was appointed by YAB Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, President of UMNO and Prime Minister of Malaysia, as the Sabah UMNO Liaison Chief. This new appointment also elevated him to UMNO's Supreme Council.

His long outstanding services to the state and nation were also recognized. He was awarded a number of honorary titles. At the state's level he was awarded the Justice of Peace (JP) in 1989. In 1994 the His Excellency the Yang Di-Pertua Negeri conferred upon him the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK), carrying the title "Datuk". At the national level he was conferred the Johan mangku Negara (JMN). He was conferred the Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka (D.G.S.M.) in 2003, and conferred the Datuk Amar (D.A.) in 2004. In 2006, he was conferred by His Excellency the Yang Di-Pertua Negeri, the Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (S.P.D.K) carrying the title "Datuk Seri Panglima"

Though actively engaged in business and politics, Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman kept a strong desire and interest to improve his academic stature, especially in the field of business management. His commitment towards it finally paid off, when he was given the opportunity to work towards a masters degree with Edith Cowan University. In 2000, he successfully completed his graduate programme leading to a master in Business Administration (MBA). Since then, he has also been invited to be the patron for university graduate alumni. He is the patron of ECU-MBA and UiTM Alumni Associations. He is also honoured being conferred as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Bangladesh.

Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman is married to Y.A.Bhg. Datin Hajjah Faridah Haji Tussin. The couple has been blessed with four siblings; three grown-up boys and one girl.

Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman leads an active and healthy lifestyle. Among his favourite hobbies are jogging, golfing, reading and gardening..

This is taken from www.ums.edu.com