Shafee mulls legal action against Mat Zain

Senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said he is mulling legal action against former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim.

This is in relation to Mat Zain’s statutory declaration (SD) accusing Shafee of having knowledge of alleged misconduct of attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail but failing to report them.

“We are contemplating (legal action). I am contemplating, and somebody else is also contemplating,” he told reporters at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya this morning.

Asked if the “somebody else” was the attorney-general, he replied: “I wouldn’t say that but it is up to him, but I know certain things are being contemplated.”

Shafee also alluded to the possibility that he may take action against the press over the reportage of Mat Zain’s claim.

“I must say it very clearly, neither he nor the press can discuss the conduct in the SD like as though I am guilty and he (Mat Zain) is not guilty - the way some members of the press have been doing.

“This itself is sub-judice. It is not only defamation but in total contempt of court.

“So you got that hint already of what sort of action is being taken. This is over and above Mat Zain,” he said.

Earlier, Shafee was in court for a decision of an application by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to disqualify Shafee’s appointment as lead prosecutor in the appeal of the Sodomy II acquittal.

Shafee succeeded in retaining his appointment after the Court of Appeal dismissed the application, which was based on Mat Zain’s SD.

The court had found that the SD, which questioned the credibility of Shafee, was hearsay and not admissible as evidence.

“I feel this decision is the only decision the court could come to and I wonder how such an application could land in court.

“We hope this decision on my qualification will now stop,” he said, but adding that he was prepared if an appeal is taken to the Federal Court.