AG duty bound to tell court truth of RM9.5 million

PUTRAJAYA: Attorney-General (AG) Tommy Thomas was duty bound to disclose the truth to the court regarding information on the RM9.5 million allegedly paid to lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the Court of Appeal heard.

Senior federal counsel Zureen Elina Mohd Dom said the affidavit revealing that information was filed by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on the AG’s instruction.

“The reason for filing the affidavit was that the AG was of the view that being an officer of the court, he had the duty to inform the truth to the court about the information pertaining to the RM9.5 million,” she said.

Justice Datuk Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid chairing the Court of Appeal’s three-man bench had requested Zureen to clarify on the government’s position with regard to the appeal as well as on the affidavit filed by the AGC.

Zureen, however, told the court that the government was not conceding to PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s appeal to reinstate his lawsuit against the government relating to his sodomy conviction.

Lawyer Harvinderjit Singh appearing for Muhammad Shafee said the application to intervene was filed due to the circumstances of the AGC’s affidavit.

Zureen who represented the government and Anwar’s lawyer Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram told the court that they were served with the intervener application yesterday evening.

Muhammad Shafee sought to intervene in the appeal in a bid to expunge the affidavit which was affirmed on Sept 5, this year by special task officer to the AG, Siti Rahayu Mohd Mumazaini and also to cross- examine her.

Justice Umi Kalthum instructed the matter to be sent for case management and the deputy registrar subsequently set Nov 29 for hearing of the application for Muhammad Shafee to intervene in the appeal and Sept 21 case management on the matter.

The other two judges were Datuk Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal and Datuk Yeoh Wee Siam.

Last week, Anwar, in a statement, had said his lawyers had received the affidavit signed by Siti Rahayu stating new information was discovered that the RM9.5 million was paid to Muhammad Shafee and from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s bank accounts between 2013 and 2014.

Anwar, filed the originating summons on June 9, 2017,against the government claiming that he did not get a fair trial in the appeal against his sodomy II conviction.

He has sought a declaration that his conviction by the Court of Appeal on March 7, 2014 was ultra vires the Federal Constitution and thus null and void and he also wanted to nullify the Federal Court’s decision which had upheld his conviction. - Bernama