Bernama reported that a three-judge panel, led by Justice Supang Lian, unanimously agreed with the High Court’s ruling that the matter was not justiciable.

She also ruled that there was no reasonable cause of action against the government and made no order regarding costs.

Hatta was appealing against the High Court’s decision striking out his lawsuit that named the government, former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, former economic affairs minister Mustapa Mohamed and former transport minister Wee Ka Siong as defendants.

On Dec 15, 2023, High Court Justice Roz Mawar Rozain allowed the government’s application to strike out the suit, leading Hatta to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Hatta filed the suit on his behalf and on behalf of over 32 million Malaysians allegedly affected by the cancellation of the project on Dec 30, 2022.

In the statement of claim, he sought an order for the court to declare the cancellation of the project null and void, as well as for all the defendants to pay RM1 million compensation to him and all Malaysians for wrongfully and negligently cancelling the HSR project.

On Jan 1, 2021, Malaysia and Singapore announced the termination of the 350km project after the two countries failed to reach an agreement on changes proposed by Malaysia before the project agreement expired on Dec 31, 2020.

The project was expected to provide direct travel between Malaysia and Singapore within 90 minutes.

Lawyer Mohaji Selamat represented Hatta in today’s court proceedings while senior federal counsel Donald Joseph Franklin, Zetty Zurina Kamaruddin, Nur Ezdiani Roleb, Noridayu Kassim and Syafiq Affandy Hasan appeared for the government.