AG explains lawyer's axing, shocked she declined to act for Adib's family

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas cited several reasons why lawyer Syazlin Mansor should have declined to act on behalf of the Housing and Local Government Ministry as well as the Fire and Rescue Department.

He was responding to the debate surrounding Syazlin's withdrawal yesterday from the inquest to determine firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim's cause of death.

Thomas said like all ministries and government departments, the housing ministry and fire department are required to seek legal advice from the AG's Chambers with regard to appointing an external counsel.

He also noted that Syazlin was in a conflict of interest position when she agreed to act for the ministry and fire department as she was also acting for Adib's family.

“Thirdly, my officers, who are performing their traditional role as counsel assisting the coroner, have informed me that Syazlin takes an active part in the inquest, often contradicting the positions our DPPs have taken, thus causing embarrassment in her capacity as the ministry's lawyer.

“Fourthly, Syazlin's husband is employed as press secretary to the housing minister (Zuraida Kamaruddin).

“It is for these reasons I requested the housing minister to immediately revoke her appointment from further representing the ministry and the Fire Department,” he added in a statement this evening.

However, Thomas said he was shocked to learn that Syazlin (photo) also withdrew from representing the deceased's family.

“That decision was voluntarily made by her, without any influence from the chambers,” he added.

“DPP Faten requested Syazlin to continue to represent the family so that the inquest proceedings could proceed and (forensics expert) Prof Dr Shahrom Abdul Wahid could be called to further testify.

“Syazlin was however firm on her decision to withdraw,” she added.

Shahrom had testified that Adib was pulled out of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) vehicle and assaulted during the Seafield temple riots on Nov 27.

This had contradicted the testimonies of two government-appointed forensic experts, who claimed that Adib fell from the vehicle and that his injuries were due to being hit by the vehicle when it backed into him in an attempt to escape an advancing mob.

Adib, 24, succumbed to his injuries at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 17. - Mkini