KUCHING, Oct 27: The Malaysian Bar’s statement questioning the impartiality of the Special Task Force (STF) that is currently investigating the allegations made by former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas in his memoir ‘My Story: Justice in the Wilderness’ is “completely baseless and inaccurate”.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tunaku Jaafar said first of, the Malaysian Bar Council had declined the invitation for a consultation session with STF which had looked into the various documents provided by relevant agencies, apart from conducting 19 consultations amongst various stakeholders.
“All findings obtained were based on the 19 consultations conducted by the STF.
“The STF had also invited the Malaysian Bar Council to participate in the Consultation Session so as to ensure that all parties’ views are taken into consideration in preparing the Report.
“To refuse participation and then question the impartiality of the STF and its members should not be the Bar’s way to confront issues of this kind,” he said in a statement today.
He added that the Malaysian Bar ought to have come forward and gave their views on the various allegations identified by the STF.
Wan Junaidi was responding to Malaysia Bar president Karen Cheah’s comments yesterday, questioning whether the 800-page report was nonpartisan and reliable following the admission by caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Patinggi Ismail Sabri Yaakob that the declassified report could be used as political “ammunition” to attack the Opposition.
Cheah added that the declassification of the report was “untimely” in view of the 15th General Election.
Wan Junaidi pointed out that the STF was established by the Cabinet on Dec 22, 2021 to fact find and analyse the information on the allegations made by Tommy Thomas in his book and the findings were then reported to the Cabinet on Sept 30, 2022.
“The STF members had conducted the mandate entrusted to them with full commitment, responsibility and free from any form of intervention.
“I must stress that the methodology used, issues analysed, the stakeholders involved in the consultation session as well as those who had refused to participate have all been listed in the Report. This clearly shows that the STF had conducted the job in a responsible, transparent and impartial manner,” he said.
Wan Junaidi added that the STF had also submitted its recommendations for improvements in the various areas like the judiciary and the legal system for further consideration of the government. — DayakDaily
