AG denies involvement in filing of affidavit on Adib's death

Attorney General Tommy Thomas

SHAH ALAM: The Attorney General has denied being involved in the filing of an affidavit at the Court of Appeal stating – ahead of the Coroner's Court's decision – that firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim did not die from being beaten up.

In an affidavit filed on July 19, Tommy Thomas (pic) said, as AG, he was in charge of over 1,200 legal staff members, including deputy public prosecutors tasked with criminal cases and federal counsels who handled civil cases.

"Although all of them are responsible for reporting to me, I do not order or instruct them on their daily tasks," he said.

Thomas' affidavit was in reply to an ex-parte application against him by lawyers representing Muhammad Adib's family claiming that he was in contempt of court over the affidavit.

Thomas also said he had never met Deputy Public Prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah, who filed the affidavit.

"On this matter, any affidavit filed by DPP Hamdan relating to the inquest was under his job scope, and I did not order or give any instructions relating to the filing or the content of the affidavit," he added.

Thomas also denied that the media statement he issued to clarify the confusion following the sudden exit by private lawyer Syazlin Mansor from the inquest had disrupted the proceedings.

According to Thomas, he immediately wrote to the Housing and Local Government Minister in May requesting that Syazlin's appointment be rescinded after he discovered that the lawyer was also representing the Ministry and the Fire and Rescue Department.

Before the appointment was rescinded, Syazlin withdrew herself from representing the ministry, the department and Muhammad Adib's family on May 27, he said.

"Her sudden withdrawal had caused confusion and speculation not only at the Coroner's Court but also among the public.

"I issued a media statement to explain the confusion and speculation," he added.

Thomas said the applicant's assumption and conclusion on his media statement was a misconception, baseless and without merit.

He added that the applicant's assumption and conclusion on the DPP's affidavit was mischievous, a misconception, baseless and without merit.

"The applicant has failed to prove prima facie for the court to allow a committal order against me.

"I hereby pray for this application to be dismissed," he said.

On July 16, Muhammad Adib's family filed an application to initiate committal proceedings against Thomas for contempt in the inquest into the fireman's death.

The ex-parte application was filed by Muhammad Adib's father, Mohd Kassim Abdul Hamid, 64, through Messrs Mohd Zubir Embong & Associates.

The Coroner's Court has fixed Aug 9 for decision on the contempt proceedings.

Muhammad Adib became critically injured in the early morning of Nov 27 last year after he and his team members from the Subang Jaya fire station responded to an emergency call at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple where a riot was taking place.

The fireman was taken to SJMC after he was injured, before being transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for further treatment where he later died on Dec 17 at 9.41pm.