Wednesday January 21, 2009

Musa accepts resignation of Sabah attorney-general

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman has accepted the resignation of state attorney-general Datuk Antony Roderic Fernandez.

In a statement issued yesterday from Doha, Musa, who is accompanying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to the Qatari capital, said he had persuaded Fernandez on numerous occasions to reconsider his decision.

This was especially at a time when he was defending the state in the Mazu statue civil suit.

“I have been aware for some time of Fernandez’s intention to resign. However, of late, his personal matters have become more pressing and, therefore, I have given way to his request to tender his resignation,” he said.

Fernandez, 50, submitted his resignation to the office of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on Friday, citing personal and family matters as the reasons.

He also explained that it had nothing to do with the ongoing Mazu statue civil suit.

The suit was filed by former chief minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat against Musa and three others over the state’s revocation of the approval for the statue.

Musa said Fernandez had a good working relationship with the state government and was a responsible person who had agreed to extend his assistance on all outstanding cases.

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