Lawyer B Ambbi Sundrambal, appearing on behalf of the Shah Alam Community Forest Society and Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) today, informed the apex court that lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh, who are handling the case, were unable to attend the hearing.

She said Rajesh was on medical leave while Sachpreetraj had to attend another matter.

Justice Zabariah Yusof granted the postponement but issued a reprimand to the lawyers, saying they should have prioritised the case.

The other judges who sat with her were Justices Abu Bakar Jais and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.

In 2022, the Shah Alam High Court denied the NGOs leave to initiate judicial review proceedings over the state government’s decision to degazette Bukit Cherakah, covering 406.22ha.

The decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal earlier this year.

The NGOs claimed that it was illegal for the Selangor government to “backdate” the gazette in question.

The gazette was published on May 5, 2022, some 22 years after the decision was made in 2000.

Assistant state legal adviser Khairul Nizam Abu Bakar appeared for the Selangor government.

The Malaysian Bar, appearing as amicus curiae, was represented by Kiu Jia Yaw and Abhilaash Subramaniam.