Hisyam Teh replaces Shafee as Najib's lead counsel in SRC case

Lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik has been appointed as lead counsel to represent former prime minister Najib Razak in his criminal appeal at the Federal Court over the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.

The matter was stated by legal firm, Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners (ZIST) in a letter addressed to the deputy registrar of the Federal Court today, a copy of which was obtained by the media.

The letter, signed by ZIST senior partner Liew Teck Huat, also confirmed that the former prime minister had appointed the firm as his solicitor and Hisyam, from Messrs Hisyam Teh, as his lead counsel.

Liew said that he and lawyer Rueben Mathiaravanam had also been appointed as co-counsel in the SRC International case.

It was reported earlier today that Najib had discharged with immediate effect Messrs Shafee & Co from representing him in his final appeal against his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of SRC International funds.
 
The matter was related in a letter signed by Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and sent by the law firm to the Federal Court deputy registrar.

The letter stated that the legal firm had received a copy of a letter from Najib informing them that they had been discharged from representing him at 5pm yesterday, and that he had appointed ZIST as his new legal representative.

Messrs Shafee & Co had represented Najib in his SRC International cases since the Pekan MP was charged on July 4, 2018.

Meanwhile, in line with the change of solicitors, Liew applied to the court for mention or case management dates to be set on or before July 29 as the firm had received instructions from Najib to withdraw the appeal filed against the High Court's decision rejecting an application for UK Queen’s Counsel Jonathan James Laidlaw to represent him.