TUARAN: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor hoped the Legal Aid Department’s (LAD) Justice on Wheels (JoW) programme will be expanded to more interior areas so that more people in Sabah can 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 JoW programme held at Dewan Seri Sulaman here today.
His speech was delivered by Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim.
Through the programme, he said, the government’s commitment and determination to prioritise the role of LAD 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 JoW Sabah van, to implement this programme that was launched in Penampang in January 2024, represented the MADANI 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, LAD carried out 28 programmes across Sabah, Sarawak, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Kedah, and Terengganu.Last year, the JoW programme was implemented in five districts in Sabah, namely Pitas, Tongod, Papar, Sipitang, and Paitan.
This year, JoW 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 now in Tuaran.-pr/BNN
