SURENDRAN CATCHES ZAHID LYING: Why would UK allow its citizen to be extradited for exposing multi-billion dollar FRAUD?

I refer to Home Minister Zahid Hamidi's announcement on 25 July 2015 that Clare Rewcastle-Brown may be extradited from the UK to Malaysia over her 1MDB revelations.

Zahid's claim that Clare can be extradited is inconsistent with both UK and Malaysian law, and is simply laughable.

Does Zahid seriously expect the British government to allow the extradition of one its citizens to Malaysia merely for having exposed a multi-billion dollar financial scandal?

This is nothing more than a desperate attempt to run down and criminalise Sarawak Report and Clare for having exposed the 1MDB scandal and for implicating Datuk Seri Najib.

Instead of answering the allegations made by Sarawak Report, which are backed up by documents, they are trying to sidetrack the issue by focusing on imaginary crimes committed by Sarawak Report and Clare.

Zahid was not even able to identify the offence which Clare is alleged to have committed under our laws. He only says that Clare ' interfered with Malaysia's affairs' and that her expose had 'ill-intentions'.

These are not criminal offences either in Malaysia or the UK.

Under the UK's Extradition Act 2003, the person to be extradited must have committed an act which also constitutes an offence under UK laws. A prima facie case of such an offence would also have to be proven to enable the UK District Judge to make an extradition order.

Clare's conduct in this case is clearly not an offence under UK law, and therefore she cannot be extradited to Malaysia.

We call upon the Home Minister to stop making such wild and legally untenable threats against a prominent foreign national, which only serves to further damage our country's reputation internationally.

N Surendran

MP for Padang Serai,

Political Bureau, Keadilan