Sabah reinstates Brenndon Soh as attorney general after 'blunder' in SLS bid to claw back state revenue

KOTA KINABALU, July 2 — Datuk Brenndon Keith Soh was today appointed as Sabah Attorney General (AG) for the second time, replacing Datuk Nor Asiah Yusof.

Soh previously served as attorney-general from July to November 2020, before being replaced following the change of government from Parti Warisan to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition in September that year.

He later became legal adviser to the chief minister, a role Nor Asiah will now assume.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said Soh, a former Sabah Law Society (SLS) president, will assume the post immediately, with a three-year appointment.

Nor Asiah had previously been criticised for a “mistake” by a state-appointed lawyer in the SLS’s lawsuit against the federal government to demand that Sabah receive a 40% share of state revenue.

Lawyer Tengku Datuk Fuad Ahmad sparked controversy after telling the court that the claim was “aspirational” and not “an absolute right”, leading to confusion and questions over the state government’s position in its fight for state rights.

After it was revealed that Fuad had been appointed to represent her, Nor Asiah was criticised for not taking direct charge of the case or providing clear direction on such an important issue for Sabah.

The Court of Appeal has since granted SLS leave to proceed with the judicial review.