PETALING JAYA: Umno Youth has slammed Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional leaders for being hypocritical and selective over the controversial book written by former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki (pic) said it had been more than 48 hours since the special task force report on Thomas' book had been declassified but they had yet to say anything about it.
"It is weird as Pakatan and Perikatan often talk about judicial independence in the country.
"In 2009, the Barisan Nasional government under the leadership of former premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi set up a Judicial Appointments Commission to ensure judges are appointed free from political intervention.
"But Pakatan during its reign seems to have changed this," he said in his Facebook post.
Asyraf said Umno Youth was not disputing the credibility of the judges or any of their decisions.
He said what had happened could affect how the outside world perceived the country and the judiciary.
"Pakatan and Perikatan remain silent and have not addressed any of the allegations in Thomas' book and the findings of the special task force," he added.
Published last year, Thomas' book was criticised by various quarters including the Attorney General's Chambers and several politicians for allegedly containing elements of incitement, insults and defamation.
Thomas was appointed as the attorney general under the former Pakatan government in 2018, but resigned after the administration collapsed in February 2020.
The special task force report on the book has been declassified and the 241-page report was made public on the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department website on Friday (Oct 21).
