The High Courts in Sabah and Sarawak disposed of more than 5,000 civil cases last year, with new managing judges appointed to boost efficiency.
KOTA KINABALU: The High Courts in Sabah and Sarawak successfully disposed of more than 5,000 civil cases last year.
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi said this reflects the judiciary’s continuous commitment to enhancing justice delivery efficiency.
The Sabah High Court disposed of more than 2,000 out of 3,039 registered civil cases.
The Sarawak High Court disposed of 3,236 out of 4,263 registered civil cases.
For criminal cases, the High Court in Sabah disposed of 534 out of 925 registered cases.
Sarawak disposed of 333 out of 776 registered criminal cases during the same period.
“While the statistics reflect steady progress and improved efficiency, certain delays remain inevitable,” Azizah said.
She cited factors like witness availability, expert reports, evidence complexity, and party schedules.
“Addressing these challenges demands continued vigilance, strategic case management and the adoption of innovative solutions,” she added.
She was speaking at the Legal Year of Sabah and Sarawak 2026 opening ceremony.
Azizah said the appointment of Managing Judges for Sabah and Sarawak effective this year marks a significant milestone.
They will oversee judicial performance from an administrative perspective.
This includes monitoring case disposal rates, backlog levels, and the timeliness of judgment delivery.
The Managing Judges will also identify systemic delays in the Magistrate’s, Sessions, and High Courts.
The judiciary is also implementing a Mobile Court for Children with three specialised vehicle components.
One vehicle transports victims or witnesses for meaningful redress.
Another is modified as a room for testimonies to provide a victim nexus to justice.
A third vehicle serves as a mobile courtroom for nationwide justice.
“The implementation of the Mobile Court for Children marks an essential reform designed to bring justice to its most vulnerable participants,” Azizah stated.
She said it mitigates psychological distress by using a familiar, less intimidating environment.
On environmental justice, AI elements will be incorporated into the Wildlife Crime Sentencing Guidelines Calculator in 2027.
The Sabah and Sarawak Working Groups on Environment, with WWF Malaysia, are reviewing existing sentencing guidelines.
Data collection for this review is expected to conclude at the end of 2026.
The Court of Appeal will hold circuit sittings in Miri, Sarawak, in April.
It will also sit in Tawau, Sabah, in the last quarter of this year to improve geographical access to justice.
The new Tenom Court in Sabah will be inaugurated tomorrow.
The Mukah Court in Sarawak is tentatively scheduled to open in April.
