KUCHING, Jan. 23 -- A fundamental constitutional question on who is the true 'guardian of public interest' in Sarawak surfaced during the hearing of judicial review applications before High Court judge Dean Wayne Daly here on Wednesday.

The issue was raised by State Legal Counsel Datuk Seri JC Fong in proceedings involving Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) subsidiaries challenging the imposition of financial penalties by Sarawak authorities, prompting a broader debate on the respective roles of the federal and state Attorneys-General (AG).

Fong drew the court's attention to a legal ambiguity under Order 53 Rule 3(3) of the Rules of Court 2012, which requires applicants for judicial review to serve their applications and affidavits on 't...