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KUALA LUMPUR – The decision to discharge Shafee & Co is not a move to “ditch” or “evict” Tan Sri Mohamed Shafee Abdullah as the senior lawyer is still representing him in other legal cases, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In a brief statement, the former prime minister said the change of a new legal team from Messrs Zaid Ibrahim, Suflan, TH Liew & Partners was necessary to present a new perspective for his final appeal against the guilty verdict in the SRC International corruption case.
He also expressed his confidence in the new team to present his cases, particularly on the alleged conflict of interest of judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali who presided over the SRC case in the high court here.
“The charge of conflict of interest is a serious one both for the judge and the litigants.”
Najib also confirmed that the appointment came into effect today, with the lead counsel being Hisyam Teh Poh Teik (of Messrs Hisyam Teh).
Co-counsels also include Liew Teik Huat and Rueben Mathiaravanam (of Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners), according to a letter filed to the Federal Court today.
Najib said he has confidence in the Malaysian legal system, and legal processes will prove his innocence.
The change in the legal team came after the high court here rejected UK lawyer and Queen’s Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw’s bid to be admitted before the courts for the final appeal, scheduled to be heard in the Federal Court for 10 days from August 15.
Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid ruled that Laidlaw did not satisfy the requirements for ad hoc admission under the Legal Profession Act.
In his judgement, Kamal also expressed his view that local advocates and solicitors were more than capable of handling such cases throughout all court tiers in the country.
“I concur with the honourable attorney-general, the learned deputy public prosecutor, KL Bar Committee and the Malaysian Bar that the appeal is one that can quite competently be handled by local advocates and solicitors.
“As such, the originating motion in enclosure one is hereby dismissed,” he reportedly said.
The Federal Court is set to hear Najib’s final SRC appeal over a period of 10 days from August 15 to 19, and from August 22 to 26.
The Court of Appeal last year upheld the conviction and 12-year prison sentence as well as a RM210 million fine imposed against Najib for misappropriating RM42 million in funds from SRC, a former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) subsidiary.
On November 23, 2017, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim failed to sue Najib, 1MDB, and two others.
The high court found that Zaid had no locus standi in demanding the return of RM42 million from the former prime minister, 1MDB, the Malaysian government, and Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz.
Zaid was ordered to pay the defendants RM4,000 each in cost. – The Vibes, July 26, 2022