AG will recuse self
> Tommy says he’ll do so if conflict of interest arise in any cases: Bar Council
PUTRAJAYA: Newly-appointed Attorney-General (AG) Tommy Thomas has given assurance that he will recuse himself from any particular case if there is a conflict of interest, according to the Bar Council.
Its president, George Varughese, said Thomas gave his word to him in a closed-door meeting between the two at the AG’s Chambers, the first since the latter took office last week.
He said such cases would then be taken up by the solicitorgeneral, as allowed in the constitution.
“The AG has assured us (the Bar Council) when it comes to persons he may know while he was in private practice, if a situation of conflict arises, he will immediately recuse himself from whatever issues involving these people.
“The solicitor-general will then step in his place as the law allows him to do so,” he told reporters after the meeting yesterday.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V, on June 5, gave his consent to the appointment of Thomas as the new AG, replacing Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.
Thomas had vowed to make the 1Malaysia Development Berhad probe his top priority.
Varughese said Thomas has also indicated his agreement to repealing the Anti-Fake News Act 2018, among several other laws that could be scrapped under the new Pakatan Harapan government.
He said he had already proposed the repealing of several controversial acts, including the Sedition Act 1948, National Security Council Act 2016 and Prevention of Crime Act 1959, with other acts proposed to be amended.
“I believe he is (agreeable to the repealing of the acts). He did indicate that the Anti-Fake News Act will definitely be repealed, but we didn’t have time to go into details on the others.
“But he was agreeable to look into all our proposals,” he said.