- Advertisement -
News

Nov 25 decision on ex-AG Thomas' bid to quash Najib's suit

Najib's lawyer says Thomas has a history of 'attacking' the former prime minister, while Thomas' lawyer says the charges against Najib were not dropped even after his client's tenure as attorney-general ended.

Bernama
2 minute read
Share
Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas and former prime minister Najib Razak.
Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas and former prime minister Najib Razak.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today set Nov 25 to decide on an application by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas to quash the suit filed by Najib Razak over alleged misfeasance in public office for prosecuting him on charges involving 1MDB.

Judge Ahmad Bache fixed the date after hearing submissions by both parties on Thomas’ application to strike out the suit. Lawyer Yudistra Darma Dorai represented Najib, and Alan Adrian Gomez, Thomas.

"The decision on the application is set for Nov 25 at 9am," said Bache.

Yudistra submitted that Thomas had a history of "attacking" Najib, who is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence at Kajang Prison.

According to the lawyer, Thomas, who was appointed as attorney-general in 2018, met with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2015 to discuss Najib, who was called a liar, and in 2016, Thomas claimed that Najib was not fit to be prime minister.
 
He said Thomas made such comments against Najib when he was attorney-general in his book, "My Story: Justice in the Wilderness", as well as to the media.

Meanwhile, Gomez submitted that the 1MDB-related charges were not "political prosecution", and that the charges were not dropped even after Thomas' tenure as attorney-general ended in February 2020.

"Attorney-General Idrus Harun carried on with the charges. He had the discretion to drop the charges but did not do so," he said.

Thomas, through a notice of application to quash the suit filed on Nov 18, 2021, stated among others that if Najib's suit was continued and tried, it would disrupt the trial in the High Court of the criminal case against him.

Najib filed the suit on Oct 22, 2021, claiming that the charges against him were part of a move planned in advance by Thomas. He said they were also in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s plan at the time.
 
Najib, 69, claimed that he had been wrongly accused in court in the case of 1MDB, International Petroleum Investment Company, abuse of power under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

He is seeking a declaration that Thomas committed misfeasance in public office as well as RM1.9 million in damages, including negotiation fees for the audit team to review the documents for the preparation of facts to deal with the prosecution against him.