KUALA LUMPUR: The family of late firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim has filed a notice to withdraw their appeal for committal proceedings against former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas.
Muhammad Adib’s father Mohd Kassim Abdul Hamid had filed an appeal in the Court of Appeal against a High Court’s decision which allowed Thomas’ application to set aside the committal proceedings against him.
Legal firm Mohd Zubir Embong & Associates, representing Muham-mad Adib’s family, said it was ordered to withdraw the appeal as Muhammad Adib’s family no longer wanted to prolong the matter, Bernama reported.
According to a statement, the firm filed the notice to withdraw the appeal on May 31, following which the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) also withdrew its application for leave to appeal to the Federal Court.
The AGC, representing Thomas, had appealed against the decision of the Court of Appeal on Feb 8 which ruled that the coroner hearing the inquest into Muham- mad Adib’s death had jurisdiction to issue leave to commence committal proceedings against Thomas.
“In this regard, the family of the late Muhammad Adib considers that the process on the contempt of court proceedings against Thomas and the Attorney General’s Chambers had been disposed of and is over, and hopes society will allow the family start a new life.
“At the same time, it should be noted that the settlement at this appeal stage does not in any way tamper with or alter the decision and findings by the Coroner’s Court on Sept 27, 2019, which confirmed Muhammad Adib was beaten to death (although the killer had yet to be found) and that his death was also contributed by the failure of the police and the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) to control the riot,” the firm added.
It also noted that the judgment by the Coroner had never been overruled by any higher court and remained an authoritative finding of fact.
The law firm said the stand by Muhammad Adib’s family to withdraw the appeal did not mean the search for his killer could not be continued by the police.
On Nov 29, 2021, Muhammad Adib’s family received RM1.5mil in compensation from the government.
The firefighter, who was a member of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services unit, sustained serious injuries during a commotion at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, Subang Jaya on Nov 27, 2018 and died on Dec 17 at the National Heart Institute.
Meanwhile, lawyer Aidil Khalid, representing Mohd Kassim, said the AGC withdrew its appeal in the Federal Court yesterday.
