Sabah Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim accompanied by Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister/Kiulu Assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai observing the operation of one of the Justice on Wheels counters.
KOTA KINABALU: The Justice on Wheels programme should be expanded to more interior areas of the state, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said the expansion of the programme by the Legal Aid Department would help more people in Sabah to gain access to legal aid services.
"This is an important aspect of the people’s well-being, as it ensures that our justice system is inclusive and easily accessible to all levels of society.
"This programme, which focuses on delivering justice comprehensively and efficiently especially to those living in rural areas or who are less fortunate is also in line with the State Government’s aspiration that no one should be left behind in gaining access to justice," he said at the Justice on Wheels programme held at Dewan Seri Sulaman here on Wednesday (Aug 20).
His speech was delivered by Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim.
Through the Justice on Wheels programme, he said, the government’s commitment and determination to prioritise the role of the Legal Aid Department in defending the rights of the underprivileged to obtain fair justice is clearly reflected.
"Various reforms have been undertaken to promote legal aid services and to spread knowledge and public awareness of the facilities provided by the Government."
"This is important to ensure that no one is excluded from the process of fair justice merely due to financial constraints or lack of knowledge about what has been made available by the Government over the past 54 years," he said.
The Chief Minister noted that the acquisition of a dedicated van for Sabah, known as the Justice on Wheels Sabah van, to implement this programme that was launched in Penampang in Jan 2024, represented the Federal Government’s commitment, in line with the State Government’s aspiration to provide access to justice for every level of society, regardless of location.
In 2024, the Legal Aid Department carried out 28 programmes across Sabah, Sarawak, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Kedah and Terengganu.
Last year, the Justice on Wheels programme was implemented in five districts in Sabah – Pitas, Tongod, Papar, Sipitang and Paitan.
This year, Justice on Wheels began in Kampung Gas, Batu Sapi, Sandakan, Tawau Community Hall and the Lahad Datu Syariah Court in February, followed by Dataran Bagandang, Beaufort in July, and the latest on Wednesday (Aug 20) in Tuaran.
