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Monday, September 04, 2023

Do not delay Tommy Thomas RCI any more, Puad tells AG


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Do not delay Tommy Thomas RCI any more, Puad tells AG


Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi says the RCI into ex-AG’s memoir must be expedited in view of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s DNAA.



Puad Zarkashi admitted that the government would be put in a tight spot if it took a firm position on the matter of holding the RCI as soon as possible as it could be seen as interference. (Facebook pic)


PETALING JAYA: Puad Zarkashi has called for the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into former attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas’ controversial memoir to commence without any further delay.

Puad said Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in his corruption trial today should prompt the newly-appointed AG, Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh, to expedite the RCI into Thomas’ memoir.

“Don’t delay it anymore. The people are bored of waiting. After all, it was the Cabinet’s decision (to set up the RCI on Thomas’ memoir).

“What’s so special about Thomas that there is fear in commencing the inquiry,” he said in a Facebook post.

However, Puad admitted that the government would be put in a tight spot if it took a firm position on the matter.

“The government is caught in a dilemma. If it takes a firm stance, it will be accused of interference. But if it’s left unchecked, many will continue to be victims,” he said.

In January, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said announced that the Cabinet agreed to establish an RCI to probe the claims made in Thomas’ memoir titled “My Story: Justice In The Wilderness.”

She said the RCI aims to uncover the truth and make recommendations to the government for the reform of the country’s legal institutions.

Earlier today, Zahid was granted a DNAA on all 47 of his corruption, criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering charges in the Yayasan Akalbudi case.

The DNAA means that the prosecution is at liberty to bring, or continue with the case against Zahid at any time in the future based on similar facts and evidence from the present case.

In delivering the decision, Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is still investigating the case after Zahid made representations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

He added that the DNAA is in view of the RCI formed to look into claims in Thomas’ memoir, particularly on alleged selective prosecution.


1 comment:

  1. Looks like the reality is, Anwar Ibrahim is just a puppet of UMNO

    ReplyDelete