'Not our lawyers who hired thugs' - legal firm clarifies

Legal firm Skrine today denied that its lawyers are those said to have hired the group that accosted devotees at a temple in Subang Jaya on Monday.

In a statement today, the firm clarified that while it is acting for One City Development Bhd in civil proceedings involving possession of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple land, it was not involved in the alleged hiring of "thugs".

“We categorically state that we are not the lawyers referred to by the home minister. None of our lawyers have been arrested by the police,” the statement read.

Earlier today, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said it has been established that “lawyers of the developer” had hired a group of men to barge into the temple to take over the property as part of the developer's land transfer efforts.

"The home minister also reportedly stated that lawyers who paid the thugs were among the 21 arrested by the police.

"We have no knowledge whatsoever of the alleged hiring of thugs and condemn in the strongest terms any such action," the firm said in the statement.

Skrine maintained that its work as solicitors for the developer has been and will continue to be strictly in accordance with the law.

Meanwhile, another law firm Messrs Thomas Philip in a separate statement denied that it is acting for One City at all.

"Messrs Thomas Philip were solicitors on record for One City in relation to Shah Alam High Court suit no 21-353-1996 which was resolved by way of consent order dated March 11, 2014.

"On Dec 30, 2015, a new firm of solicitors was instructed by One City to take over the conduct and all matters arising from the consent order.

"In that regard, it has been three years since December 2015 that Messrs Thomas Philip had ceased to act for One City," the statement from the firm said. - Mkini