Zaid accepts discharge by Najib ‘graciously’, will ‘keep calm and carry on’
Zaid Ibrahim says Najib Razak’s decision to discharge his firm as solicitors in his Federal Court appeal has his ‘full support and agreement’.
PETALING JAYA: Zaid Ibrahim has said that Najib Razak’s decision to discharge his firm as solicitors in the SRC International corruption appeal has his “full support and agreement.”
In a Facebook post, the senior lawyer confirmed that Najib had discharged the firm of Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, as informed by lead defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik to the Federal Court earlier.
He said that it was Najib’s belief that his lawyers cannot serve any useful purpose in the ongoing appeal.
Zaid said Najib believes the “prevailing assumption” of the judges is that the reorganisation of his legal team last month “was part of a tactical ploy and a ruse to stifle and stall proceedings so as to avoid or delay the final judgment and sentence to be passed on him or for political reasons.”
“I regret that despite the best efforts of lead counsel and the lawyers in my team, both (in) Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, we have not been able to dispel this sad misconception,” he added.
The former law minister said his firm accepted the brief to represent Najib because they thought the case required a new approach and fresh perspectives, including abandoning “unnecessary vitriol” and “personal attacks” on judge Nazlan Ghazali who had presided over the trial.
“Instead, we were intent on focusing strictly on the legal and factual issues surrounding the case, concentrating especially on the issues of bias and conflict of interests,” said Zaid.
Zaid said that from an objective analysis of the facts of the case, the evidence was overwhelmingly in Najib’s favour.
Together with friend and colleague, Niru Pillai of Niru & Co, LLC, Singapore, he put together a legal team which included two established Indian senior advocates, Sidharth Luthra and Kavin Gulati, who were assisted by Rony John and Avi Tandon.
“We believed that the application was well founded and was very compelling. Unfortunately, the Court in its wisdom did not think so. The application was not allowed,” said Zaid.
Even a request for a short adjournment to enable our legal team to properly set up the case, and for counsel to adequately prepare his submissions and arguments for what is clearly an extremely complex and high-profile case was denied outright, he said.
“The setback which (Najib) has suffered is a grave injustice arising from a manifest error of law and certainly derailed all efforts to pursue his constitutional rights,” said Zaid.
Recognising Najib’s personal liberty was at stake, Zaid said his team “accepts graciously” the former prime minister’s decision to discharge his firm.
The exigencies of the situation impel us to be mindful of the needs of the client, whose interests are paramount, Zaid added.
He vowed not to be shaken by detractors in his fight to uphold justice.
“I intend to keep calm and carry on,” Zaid concluded.
PETALING JAYA: Zaid Ibrahim has said that Najib Razak’s decision to discharge his firm as solicitors in the SRC International corruption appeal has his “full support and agreement.”
In a Facebook post, the senior lawyer confirmed that Najib had discharged the firm of Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, as informed by lead defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik to the Federal Court earlier.
He said that it was Najib’s belief that his lawyers cannot serve any useful purpose in the ongoing appeal.
Zaid said Najib believes the “prevailing assumption” of the judges is that the reorganisation of his legal team last month “was part of a tactical ploy and a ruse to stifle and stall proceedings so as to avoid or delay the final judgment and sentence to be passed on him or for political reasons.”
“I regret that despite the best efforts of lead counsel and the lawyers in my team, both (in) Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, we have not been able to dispel this sad misconception,” he added.
The former law minister said his firm accepted the brief to represent Najib because they thought the case required a new approach and fresh perspectives, including abandoning “unnecessary vitriol” and “personal attacks” on judge Nazlan Ghazali who had presided over the trial.
“Instead, we were intent on focusing strictly on the legal and factual issues surrounding the case, concentrating especially on the issues of bias and conflict of interests,” said Zaid.
Zaid said that from an objective analysis of the facts of the case, the evidence was overwhelmingly in Najib’s favour.
Together with friend and colleague, Niru Pillai of Niru & Co, LLC, Singapore, he put together a legal team which included two established Indian senior advocates, Sidharth Luthra and Kavin Gulati, who were assisted by Rony John and Avi Tandon.
“We believed that the application was well founded and was very compelling. Unfortunately, the Court in its wisdom did not think so. The application was not allowed,” said Zaid.
Even a request for a short adjournment to enable our legal team to properly set up the case, and for counsel to adequately prepare his submissions and arguments for what is clearly an extremely complex and high-profile case was denied outright, he said.
“The setback which (Najib) has suffered is a grave injustice arising from a manifest error of law and certainly derailed all efforts to pursue his constitutional rights,” said Zaid.
Recognising Najib’s personal liberty was at stake, Zaid said his team “accepts graciously” the former prime minister’s decision to discharge his firm.
The exigencies of the situation impel us to be mindful of the needs of the client, whose interests are paramount, Zaid added.
He vowed not to be shaken by detractors in his fight to uphold justice.
“I intend to keep calm and carry on,” Zaid concluded.
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