JOHOR BAHRU – Johor police have received 16 reports against Tan Sri Tommy Thomas over his recently published book “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness”.
State Police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said they began receiving reports from various parties against the former attorney-general from the first day the issue came to light.
“We will begin investigations under Section 500 and Section 203A of the Penal Code and Section 8 of the Official Secrets Act 1972,” he told Bernama when contacted today.
Various parties have urged the government to ban the book, including Johor UMNO Youth, who lodged a police report at the Johor Bahru Selatan police district headquarters today.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan has described the contents on accountability in the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Judiciary in the book ‘My Story: Justice in the Wilderness’ as nonsense and has given assurance that he will act in accordance to the law against any effort to belittle the legal body and the Judiciary.
He claimed that these contents in the memoir by former Tommy Thomas aimed at insulting and was mala fide as well as tarnished the integrity and reputation of legal institutions and legal officers.
“After studying the contents and the essence of the book diligently, I was also taken aback and felt that many aspects in the book were nonsense especially when touching on the question of accountability, transparency and impartiality of legal officers working in the AGC and courts in every corner of the country.
“As a former legal officer in the judiciary in the 1980s as well as a former member of the Judicial and Legal Service Officers’ Association (JALSOA), I believe that each legal officer always holds fast to the key principles of the law,” he said in an open letter to legal officers and the Judiciary here today.
Within confines of the law
Takiyuddin explained that by holding fast to these principles, the officers involved will always act within the confines of the law, free from any interference, inducements, pressure, threats or disturbance, whether directly or indirectly from any party.
He said the AGC and judiciary are legal institutions that are always open-minded to all views and suggestions from within and outside and even criticisms that are constructive.
“This is our attitude that respects the principles of fundamental liberties or fundamental rights that are prescribed in the Federal Constitution. We deem admonitions that are constructive can further raise the quality in carrying out judicial and legal work among our officers.
“However, the admonitions must be made with noble intentions and with reasonable courtesy and responsibility within the limits of the law,” he said.
He further underscored that the judicial process cannot be implemented well, smoothly and effectively without the support of legal officers in the AGC and courts as well as legal practitioners in the private sector.
He said integration and cooperation between these three sectors could ensure law and justice can be upheld in society.
Apart from that, he said that he was confident that capability, commitment, dedication, expertise and honesty of legal officers in legal bodies and the judiciary was beyond question.
According to the law
Takiyuddin explained that each task carried out was based on the law whether expressly or impliedly, and never according one’s own wishes and certainly far from trying to gain popularity with any party.
“As such, I give the assurance that the government will always monitor and act according to the law against any effort to belittle the legal body and the Judiciary.
“The principle of the rule of law must made the guideline for each individual or group in making any decision and consideration. Everyone is bound by the law, no man is above the law and everyone, whatever his condition or rank is, is subject to the ordinary laws of the land,” he said.
He also urged legal officers in the AGC and Judiciary to continue carrying out their tasks with determination and in a high spirit as entrusted to them to uphold justice and the sovereignty of Malaysian laws ‘without fear or favour.
Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak meanwhile will be filing a legal action against Tommy Thomas over an allegedly defamatory statement in his recently-published book, which implicates him to the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.
The matter was confirmed by the former prime minister’s counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah when contacted by Bernama.
“Yes, we are suing him. Yesterday, Thomas had replied to our letter of demand (LOD)…he said that he did not defame our client.
No reply to LOD
“The publisher, namely, GB Gerakbudaya Enterprise Sdn Bhd has not replied to our LOD. We are going to file defamation suit against both Thomas and the publisher as soon as possible,” said Muhammad Shafee.
On Feb 2, Najib, in the LOD sent through his solicitor, Messrs. Shafee & Co, demanded an apology and RM10 million in damages from Thomas over allegations against him in the book.
In the letter, Najib also gave Thomas until noon yesterday to provide a satisfactory reply, failing which legal proceedings will be taken against him.
He also demanded an apology and unequivocal public retraction of the alleged defamatory statement in chapter 42 under the title “Altantuya” in the book.
He said that by clear inference and innuendo, Thomas had conveyed the message that he, as the then Attorney-General and public prosecutor, was satisfied of the truthfulness of the allegations by two convicted persons that Najib was involved in directing them to murder Altantuya.
The statement was clearly motivated by mala fide and principally done in Thomas’ selfish pursuit of seeking cheap publicity, fuelled by his ego, sensationalism and profiteering, he said.
