Former premier Najib Abdul Razak and former attorney-general Tommy Thomas reached an amicable settlement in a civil suit over the latter’s memoir.
Speaking outside the Shah Alam High Court, where proceedings had taken place today, Najib’s lawyer Shafee Abdullah said the settlement could be considered a “win” for Najib as the rumour linking him to Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu had been hanging over his head for years.
“My client is very happy (because) for many years, he has been upset (as) there were no statements at all (linking him to Altantuya’s murder) and yet a lot of rumours had been whipped up (of his alleged involvement).
“At last, there is a settlement, and that Thomas has admitted (that) as far as since 2021, there has never been any (Najib involvement in) murder or any evidence (on the matter) even though there has been further investigation by the police at the request of many people, including the father of Altantuya,” Shafee said.
He added that this settlement and Thomas’ admission statement, which the former AG’s lawyer, Alan Gomez, read in today’s proceeding before judge Khadijah Idris, should put to rest the rumours and coffee shop talks targeted at Najib regarding Altantuya’s murder.
Clearing reputation
Shafee, who also read out Thomas' statement to the media, said that Najib, from the onset of the case, never uttered the need for any monetary compensation, as he was just seeking to clear his reputation.
In the signed statement with the second defendant, publisher Gerakbudaya, Thomas said he stood by his statements and opinion expressed in Chapter 42 of “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness”, that former police officers Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri's statutory declarations corroborated one another.
The two were convicted of Altantuya's murder in 2009.
“I accept, however, that since the publication of my book in 2021, I am not aware of any evidence linking Najib to the murder of Altantuya, although I understand there have been investigations since the publication of the book.
“In these circumstances, I have no objections to the withdrawal of the civil suit against the publisher and I, with no order as to costs.
“In the event that my said book is further reprinted and/or republished, the statement above would be stated in the said book, in the same pages as the publication of the impugned statements (in pages 404-405).
“The second defendant adopts in substance the above-said statements of the first defendant,” read Thomas’ statement.
In today’s proceedings, the judge had recorded a consent judgment between all parties for the settlement and made no order as to costs. She also said Najib has no liberty to file a fresh suit against the defendants.
Book insinuated Najib involved in conspiracy
Najib argued that Thomas had, through the book, insinuated that the former premier was guilty of conspiracy to murder Altantuya, allegedly misled the rakyat over the episode and was therefore unfit to hold political or any office.
Najib also argued that Thomas wrote that the former had an agenda to murder Altantuya and had allegedly illegally influenced Sirul while the former commando was in detention in Australia.
In addition, Najib accused Thomas of being behind a conspiracy to incarcerate him, claiming that the former AG was partisan and was favoured by Pakatan Harapan figures Lim Guan Eng, Lim Kit Siang and Anwar Ibrahim, while displaying a distinct bias against Umno and BN while acting as AG.
Najib sought unspecified damages at an interest rate of five percent per annum from the filing of the suit, an apology, the removal of libellous words and passages from the book, as well as a permanent injunction against either Thomas or publisher Gerakbudaya from further publishing similar statements, at the time when he filed the suit. - Mkini
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