Attorney-General Tommy Thomas has clarified that he never communicated with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi regarding the former Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leader Chin Peng's ashes.
“My attention was drawn to an article in which Zahid claimed that I had requested him, when he was home minister, to propose to the Cabinet to allow Chin Peng's ashes to be brought back to Malaysia.
“This is totally untrue,” he told Malaysiakini this afternoon.
“I have never met, spoken, written or communicated with him in my life,” added Thomas, who had represented Chin Peng prior to his appointment as attorney-general.
Yesterday, Zahid alluded that Thomas was exacting revenge against him with regard to the refusal to allow the Perak-born Chin Peng's ashes to be brought back.
The Umno president said following Thomas' alleged request, he had raised the matter with the cabinet.
“The cabinet decided that Chin Peng’s body will never be allowed to be brought on Malaysian land, what more buried.
“But I had to pay a heavy price. Because that lawyer is now the attorney-general, now I have to pay the price with 87 charges. That’s the reality,” he was quoted as saying.
Zahid is facing charges for alleged criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving his family-run foundation Yayasan Akal Budi, money laundering as well as accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as home minister.
Thomas' role in acting for Chin Peng was revisited after a group of people brought back the former CPM leader's ashes and scattered them in the sea and jungle in Perak last month.
Following this, Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa insinuated that Thomas played a part in bringing back the ashes.
Denying this, Thomas said even Chin Peng had the right to legal representation.
Thomas pointed out that it was Annuar's own party, which led the BN coalition, that entered into negotiations with Chin Peng and CPM in 1989.
"It was initiated by the BN and Umno government under Dr Mahathir Mohamad's previous premiership, led by former inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor, who was then the special branch chief, and the treaty was signed in 1989.
"If Chin Peng was considered such an evil man, why did the Malaysian government negotiate with him and sign an agreement with the CPM.
"The government honoured the agreement and allowed former CPM leaders such as Rashid Maidin and Abdullah CD, to return to Malaysia but not Chin Peng.
"So what is wrong with Chin Peng, taking the matter to court and hiring Malaysian lawyers to represent him?" he said.
The attorney-general said he had represented hundreds of people when he was in private practice, and questioned if he should be held responsible for their actions. - Mkini
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