Cops to question Thomas

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Tommy Thomas will be called up in connection with a police report lodged against him over his just-released memoir.

Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Fadzil Ahmat said police would record a statement from the former Attorney General as soon as possible.

“So far, only one police report has been lodged against him in Selangor in connection with the book, ” he said yesterday.

The report was lodged by former Solicitor-General III Datuk Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria for alleged defamation in the memoir titled My Story: Justice in the Wilderness.

In his report, he claimed that an excerpt from Thomas’ book had tarnished his image as a deputy public prosecutor and his 33-year service record.

“What he wrote was not true as he makes it seem that I was lazy and not able to handle the prosecution in the SRC International trial, ” he stated in his report lodged at the Cyberjaya police station on Tuesday.

Hanafiah was referring to an excerpt in Thomas’ book, which referred to the preparation of the prosecution team in the case against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2018 when he was the AGC’s Trial and Appeals division head.

“On the contrary, once he (Thomas) instructed me to scrutinise the investigation paper (IP) for the SRC case, I formed a team of the best and experienced DPPs to scrutinise all statements in the IP and to prepare the prosecution based on the statements, that also involved various complex financial transactions.

“The issue of me leading the prosecution team did not arise, but my role was as a senior legal officer with vast experience in prosecution, ” he stated in the report.

Hanafiah also revealed that Thomas had informed the team that he (Thomas) was going to lead them.

“For such a big case, it was only fitting for the AG to lead the prosecution, as many of his predecessors had done before.

“He never told me at any time that I was supposed to lead the prosecution team in the SRC case nor did he tell me that I was not capable of leading the team, ” he stated.

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that the Judicial and Legal Service Officers’ Association (JALSOA) has strongly objected to Thomas’ writings on legal officers in the AG’s Chambers in his memoir, describing the remarks as insulting its members.

In a statement, its executive committee said the former AG’s criticisms were also malicious.

“JALSOA is very upset and affected by what he wrote. Legal officers, whether they are in the AG’s Chambers or in the courts, always carry out the responsibilities entrusted to them in accordance with the provisions of the law regardless of who is the AG or the ruling government.

“The challenges, trials and pressures in the duties of a Legal Officer have implications not for any individual and client but the interests of the country and people in upholding the rule of law, ” it added.