PETALING JAYA: Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun
(pic) said that he has no doubts about the abilities, commitment, and dedication of his colleagues in carrying out their tasks without fear or favour.
Idrus said Tan Sri Tommy Thomas’ recently-released book “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness” had elicited reactions from many parties that questioned the competency and trustworthiness of lawyers working with the Chambers.
“The book has had a negative impact on outsiders and has affected the morale and spirit of the lawyers. I believe that the book is an insult to the institution of law,” he said in an internal letter dated Thursday (Feb 4) for staff of the Attorney General’s Chambers.
Idris also said that he was aware that the lawyers were working in a high pressure environment that required a lot of sacrifices from them.
He added that as Attorney General, the main role was to advise the King, the Cabinet, or any Ministers about the country’s laws to protect the nation’s interest.
He said lawyers should go about their tasks following the principles of law while being loyal to the Ruler and country.
Tommy, who was Idrus’ predecessor, had made several claims and allegations in his book, which has made headlines in the past few days.
Meanwhile, Former Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali lodged a police report against his successor Tan Sri Tommy Thomas over alleged defamation in the latter’s autobiography.
Apandi alleged that Thomas’ memoir consisted a criminal defamation against him, and also contained sensitive information about the state, cabinet discussions, and the appointment of the AG.
“In general, I found that this book consisted a lot of malicious allegations against me, especially in page 199.
“I believe criminal defamation is punishable under Section 500 of the Penal Code.
“Even though he is a former AG, I see that he (Thomas) has breached his oath of secrecy in office pursuant to the Official Secrets Act and possibly committed an offence under Section 203A of the Penal Code,” he said in the report.
Page 199 in Thomas’s memoir is in relation to the appointment of Apandi as the AG and his involvement in dismissing any wrongdoing by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
Apandi also lambasted Thomas for criticising the Attorney-General’s Chamber’s officers as “lazy”.
Apandi’s police report is the latest lodged against Thomas’s 500-page autobiography.
Former Solicitor General III Datuk Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria has also lodged a similar report against Thomas regarding the book’s contents.
On Feb 2, Najib too issued a letter of demand (LoD) to Thomas for defaming him in the same book by implicating him in the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in one of the book’s chapters.
He is seeking RM10 million in damages and a public apology from Thomas as well as immediate and unequivocal public retraction of the statement from the book.
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