PETALING JAYA: The prime minister’s lawyer today wondered if the attorney-general’s directive not to appeal against the acquittal of Rafizi Ramli had in fact been conveyed to the relevant officers.
Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla also said that Tommy Thomas could have easily rescinded the appeal filed by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, as it was still in the early stages, without coming out with a statement.
On Friday, Thomas expressed shock that his department had filed an appeal against the acquittal of Rafizi, who is PKR vice-president, of a charge of violating banking secrecy.
Thomas told theedgemarkets.com that he had decided against doing so and that the decision “was conveyed to the relevant officers”.
But Haniff told FMT: “Tommy’s statement gives the impression that some of his officers in the AGC had intentionally sabotaged his decision. Some would even see it as Tommy trying to sabotage his own agency.”
Thomas also told the portal that he will find out why the appeal was filed despite clear instructions given to not do so and promised disciplinary action against those responsible.
His statement led to DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh claiming there were forces working within the AGC to discredit Thomas.
But Haniff said that the AG should conduct a thorough probe before coming up with such a statement. “Is he sure that his directive had reached the officer involved?”
On Nov 15, the High Court in Shah Alam had overturned Rafizi’s conviction last year for revealing bank account information relating to the National Feedlot Corporation, its subsidiary companies and its chairman, Salleh Ismail.
He and former Public Bank officer Johari Mohamad had been sentenced to a 30-month jail sentence. Johari was accused of conspiring with Rafizi. - FMT
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