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KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim has refuted news reports that his law firm, Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, will abandon its client Datuk Seri Najib Razak if the Federal Court does not grant a postponement of his final appeal against his conviction in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case this Monday.
Zaid said his firm had never made any such statement and expressed surprise at reports implying that the law firm would discharge itself despite the matter never being mentioned during case management on August 10.
“My firm, Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, did not make any statement during the case management hearing in chambers that the firm will be discharging itself as solicitors. We do not abandon our clients.
“Any media report stating the contrary is mischievous and regrettable,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Zaid explained that his law firm agreed to take on the case as Najib has legitimate grievances with regard to his conviction, particularly on matters relating to the rule of law, the law relating to bias and conflict of interests.
“It is the sacred duty of any advocate to represent an accused person with such grievances. In doing so, I am not prejudging the case, as any respectable lawyer will attest.
“Passing judgment is the domain of the courts. As lawyers, our duty is to present the client’s case to the best of our ability.
“We expect our courts to uphold time-honoured legal principles and that the rule of law will prevail.”
Zaid, who is a former law minister, also regretted “scurrilous attacks” against his law firm’s credibility for agreeing to take on Najib’s appeal at this late stage.
He rejected an allegation by opposition lawmaker, Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, that the law firm was motivated by money to take on the case.
“I want to state categorically that throughout my career as a lawyer and politician, I have never been motivated by money or position. Justice is what matters to me.
“In any event, it is a preposterous notion that there is never a justification for a last-minute change of lawyers. In this case, there was a genuine need for a change of perspective and a reset of arguments in the defence of our client’s case,” he said.
Zaid also denied that the change of lawyers at this stage was a tactical move to delay the trial further.
“In answer to that, I ask that my critics compare this case to other high-profile cases that have come up before the courts.
“There is no doubt that this case has taken much less time to reach its present stage than most, if not all, such cases. My pompous critics will know whose cases I am referring to,” he said.
“I believe that my firm has brought a fresh perspective to the case. On our advice, Datuk Seri Najib has abandoned certain propositions previously put forward,” he added.
Zaid had also stressed that the law firm would continue to defend Najib in the case so long as it had the latter’s confidence.
Zaid’s law firm had replaced Najib’s previous legal representative, Tan Sri Mohamed Shafee Abdullah on July 25, some three weeks before the hearing of his final SRC International appeal.
It was also reported that Najib’s new lead counsel, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said he would discharge the team if the court refuses to postpone the hearing to give the new team more time to prepare for the appeal.
The court had dismissed the defence’s application slated for August 15 even though it said it needed more time to prepare.
On Monday, the Federal Court is set to hear Najib’s application for a retrial.
In his application, Najib had continued to insist on additional evidence that would purportedly show a serious conflict of interest by judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, and he is seeking a retrial for the entire SRC International case.
Should Najib fail in his application, the court will proceed with the hearing for his appeal on the same day.
In July 2020, Najib was convicted of seven charges related to misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million. – The Vibes, August 12, 2022