ZICO objects to Zaid Ibrahim’s discovery application

KUALA LUMPUR: Legal firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co (ZICO) has objected to the discovery application by former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim seeking for documents from the law firm, saying that the latter was not entitled to these documents.

Mohd Zaid filed the discovery application to obtain the documents from the firm’s executive chairman Datuk Seri Nik Norzrul Thani Nik Hassan Thani, its former managing partner Chew Seng Kok and also the firm relating to his (Mohd Zaid) suit against ZICO.

ZICO’s counsel Tan Sri Tommy Thomas submitted that the documents are already in Mohd Zaid’s possession and he cannot ask the legal firm to produce it to him.

“Our stand is, we say these documents the plaintiff (Mohd Zaid) sought for, are in his possession and he cannot come back and ask us to produce it,” he said during the hearing of Mohd Zaid’s discovery application before High Court Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir.

Thomas, who also appeared for Nik Norzrul Thani and Chew as defendants further said Mohd Zaid is seeking for the discovery before the commencement of proceeding of the first suit and this court must find whether the discovery is necessary at this stage.

“He (Mohd Zaid) has already filed the suit and he had amended the statement of claim. There is no reason why he filed a discovery separately,” he said.

Thomas told the court that Mohd Zaid’s claim that he still has 5 per cent equity in ZICO is deemed illegal because after Mohd Zaid was appointed as a minister in 2008, the law on equity does not allow him to continue holding any shares in his old firm.

“When he left the firm in 2008, he was paid handsomely. He has not been a member of the Bar between 2008 and 2017,” he said.