Ruling in Najib’s case can ‘erode judicial integrity’, says Zahid
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it was even worse if there were attempts to hide facts related to a conflict of interest. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The Federal Court’s decision to reject former prime minister Najib Razak’s application to adduce fresh evidence in his SRC International appeal yesterday could “erode the integrity of the judiciary”, claims Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
While insisting that Umno is steadfast in not interfering in the court processs, Zahid said it had become the general practice of judicial ethics around the world that any judge who was hearing a case and found himself to be in a position of conflict of interest, either before or while he was a judge, would exclude himself from the hearing.
“It is even worse if there are attempts to hide facts related to a conflict of interest since the beginning of the judgment process,” said Zahid in a statement.
“All this can actually erode the integrity of the judiciary, which should be the pillar of the people’s trust in the rule of law.”
In his application to adduce fresh evidence, Najib said trial judge Nazlan Ghazali ought to have recused himself from presiding over the trial as he was involved in deliberations and decision-making in the lead up to the formation of SRC as a 1MDB subsidiary and the grant of loan and credit facilities for the benefit of SRC and 1MDB.
Nazlan was Maybank’s group general counsel and company secretary at the material time, which was between 2006 and April 2015.
Delivering the court’s judgment yesterday, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the five-member bench could not see how the proposed additional evidence with regards to Nazlan’s previous employment with Maybank was related to the charge of abuse of power against Najib under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act.
“Even if Maybank was involved, the question is, how is the bank, and by extension Justice Nazlan’s involvement, in any way material to the question of abuse of power charge,” she asked.
Nazlan convicted Najib on seven charges of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over SRC funds amounting to RM42 million in July 2020.
Najib’s conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal on Dec 8 last year, as was his 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine. However, Najib was released on bail pending his final appeal before the Federal Court. The appeal hearing is scheduled to proceed tomorrow.
PETALING JAYA: The Federal Court’s decision to reject former prime minister Najib Razak’s application to adduce fresh evidence in his SRC International appeal yesterday could “erode the integrity of the judiciary”, claims Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
While insisting that Umno is steadfast in not interfering in the court processs, Zahid said it had become the general practice of judicial ethics around the world that any judge who was hearing a case and found himself to be in a position of conflict of interest, either before or while he was a judge, would exclude himself from the hearing.
“It is even worse if there are attempts to hide facts related to a conflict of interest since the beginning of the judgment process,” said Zahid in a statement.
“All this can actually erode the integrity of the judiciary, which should be the pillar of the people’s trust in the rule of law.”
In his application to adduce fresh evidence, Najib said trial judge Nazlan Ghazali ought to have recused himself from presiding over the trial as he was involved in deliberations and decision-making in the lead up to the formation of SRC as a 1MDB subsidiary and the grant of loan and credit facilities for the benefit of SRC and 1MDB.
Nazlan was Maybank’s group general counsel and company secretary at the material time, which was between 2006 and April 2015.
Delivering the court’s judgment yesterday, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the five-member bench could not see how the proposed additional evidence with regards to Nazlan’s previous employment with Maybank was related to the charge of abuse of power against Najib under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act.
“Even if Maybank was involved, the question is, how is the bank, and by extension Justice Nazlan’s involvement, in any way material to the question of abuse of power charge,” she asked.
Nazlan convicted Najib on seven charges of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over SRC funds amounting to RM42 million in July 2020.
Najib’s conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal on Dec 8 last year, as was his 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine. However, Najib was released on bail pending his final appeal before the Federal Court. The appeal hearing is scheduled to proceed tomorrow.
This is getting very close to Zahid contempt of court.
ReplyDeleteThe Federal Court has already provided very cogent findings why Najib's very thin arguments were nit acceptable.
Maklum-lah , Jawaman is borderline illiterate.