The law firm of Bon Advocates has dropped its client fz sdn bhd, as it is now representing Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim in a case against a related company of fz and conflict could arise.
Bon Advocates was representing fz and journalist Azril Annuar over a police investigation into a news story involving PKR Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and his allegations that Umno was out to topple the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government in Selangor through underhand actions.
Rafizi had justified the “Kajang move” to replace Khalid as menteri besar on those grounds.
The news story titled "Will Rafizi quit if Selangor is not toppled?" was written by Azril and first published on the website fz.com and the next day in The Edge Financial Daily in February.
The investigation, under the Sedition Act or Criminal Intimidation, has been going on for several months and Azril was interviewed twice by the police, accompanied both times by lawyer Joshua Tay of Bon Advocates.
Fz is owned by The Edge Media Group (TEMG) which recently acquired The Malaysian Insider (TMI) news portal.
Last week, Bon Advocates, whose senior partner is activist lawyer Edmund Bon, sent a letter to TMI accusing it of running a campaign against Khalid and demanded a retraction and apology, otherwise a defamatory suit will be filed.
TMI has said it will defend any suit that may come.
Bon Advocates' decision not to continue their services was conveyed to Terence Fernandez, who was managing editor of FZ.com when the article was published.
TEMG Publisher and CEO Ho Kay Tat said: "Terence told me Bon Advocates had informed him they were willing to continue representing Azril as an individual but not the company, because they were now representing Tan Sri Khalid against TMI, which is part of our group."
"We have decided that we will not need their services for Azril as well, as the same lawyer should represent the company and Azril," says Ho.
"We thank Edmund and Bon Advocates for representing the company and Azril these past few months."
Fz.com ceased operations after TEMG bought The Malaysian Insider three months ago. Fernandez now heads a special investigation team at The Edge and Azril is a member of the team.
- TMI
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