Activist lawyer says there is no reason for them to be over-sensitive about public comments and criticisms about the judge in the Najib Razak case.
After Najib Razak was brought to court, questions were raised about the judge’s background. (Reuters pic)
PETALING JAYA: A Federal Court response to public questions about the choice of judge in the Najib Razak case has been criticised by the Lawyers for Liberty group.
Its adviser, N Surendran, described the response as “inappropriate”.
Yesterday, the Registrar of the Federal Court issued a press statement to say that Justice Sofian Razak of the High Court had been randomly chosen by the computerised court filing system to hear the criminal case brought against the former premier.
After Najib was brought to court, public criticism arose over the fact that the judge’s brother is an Umno member and an executive councillor in the Pahang state government, linking him indirectly to Najib, who was until recently Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman.
Surendran said: “It is entirely inappropriate for the Chief Justice or his Registrar to issue such a statement. Why is the Federal Court or the CJ rushing to publicly defend the selection of Justice Sofian to preside over the case?”
Surendran said the proper thing for Sofian to have done was to have disclosed in court his relationship to the Pahang exco member and hence withdrawn from hearing the case.
Najib has been charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and a fourth of abuse of power in connection with RM42 million belonging to former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd. He was released on bail pending trial, tentatively in February and March next year. - Mkini
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