Dr M: Shafee really wanted to be Attorney-General

KUALA LUMPUR: Prominent lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has previously voiced his intention to hold the post of Attorney-General (A-G) and lead the prosecution in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s second sodomy appeal.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamadsaid the lawyer, now embroiled in multiple criminal charges, had met him in the past to seek his help to be A-G.

During a press conference yesterday, he said Shafee had remarked how then A-G Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was not capable in prosecuting the case against the PKR de facto leader.

“Shafee really wanted to be A-G. He came to see me and said the A-G at the time cannot prosecute the case against Anwar.

“He (Shafee) was confident he could win. I said, if you are confident of winning, go see Najib. At the time, I was still good friends with Najib,” he said, referring to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Dr Mahathir was commenting on Shafee’s claims that the prime minister wanted him to lead the prosecution in Anwar’s second sodomy appeal.

He rubbished the allegation and countered it by saying that Shafee not only offered to prosecute Anwar, but also offered to do so with the aim of becoming the A-G. He recalled how Shafee said if he was not made A-G, he would go against Najib at the time.

In a statement this week to deny allegations that he was paid RM9.5 million to handle the prosecution against Anwar, Shafee said Dr Mahathir wanted him to be a special prosecutor in the case.

Shafee said Najib, who was prime minister at the time, was not keen on the idea of appointing him by way of fiat (a legal authoritative decision that has absolute sanction) for the appeal.

He claimed that the appointment was one of six demands made by Dr Mahathir to Najib in exchange for continued support for his administration.

Shafee claimed trial yesterday at the Sessions Court to two charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 over two payments of RM4.3 million and RM5.2 million from Najib in 2013 and 2014.

He was also charged with two counts of making false declarations to the Inland Revenue Board by not including the RM9.5 million in his tax filing for the year under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

He pleaded not guilty to all four charges.