KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today was told that the content of former attorney-general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas' memoir titled 'My Story: Justice In the Wilderness' had roused public alarm.
Senior Federal Counsel (SFC) Shamsul Bolhassan said the Cabinet, therefore felt the necessity to establish the special task force (STF) to investigate the matter.
He submitted that the establishment of the STF was in accordance with the exercise of the Cabinet's executive powers under Article 39 of the Federal Constitution and the formation of the STF was approved by the Cabinet, with its primary responsibilities to gather information or conduct preliminary investigations into the contents of the book.
"Therefore, as the STF was subject to the order and terms of reference set by the Cabinet, its establishment was indeed in the course of exercising the executive authority of the Federation.
"It is crucial to note that the preliminary investigation was into the alleged content of the book," he said adding that it was erroneous to say that the establishment of the STF was illegal simply because it did not exist under the law.
According to Shamsul, the decision to form the STF was made pursuant to the executive power conferred by Article 39 of the Federal Constitution and it was formed validly in accordance with the law.
"Therefore, the suit brought by the plaintiff is scandalous, frivolous or vexatious and abuse of the process of the court. Thus, we urge the court to strike out the entire of the said originating summons (OS)," he said during the hearing of the special task force and the government's application to quash the suit by Thomas regarding an investigation report on the contents of his book.
Thomas filed the suit on Oct 27, 2022, naming the special task force's chairman Datuk Seri Fong Joo Chung, seven other members of the team, as well as the government as defendants.
Besides Fong, the special task force comprises Datuk Seri Panglima Hashim Paijan, Datuk Dr Junaidah Kamaruddin, Datuk Jagjit Singh Bant Singh, Datuk Shaharudin Ali, K. Balaguru, Farah Adura Hamidi and Mohd Najib Surip.
Meanwhile, Thomas' counsel Mervyn Lai submitted the true purpose of the setting up of the "illegal" task force, and the release of its unlawful report, including its timing, was thus for collateral purposes to attack the credibility of the plaintiff.
He said on or about Oct 6, 2022, a version of the report marked 'Confidential' was posted on the internet and it was widely circulated thereafter.
The counsel further said the suit was not a plain and obvious case which is suitable for summary determination because it involves novel questions of law which have hitherto not been determined by courts.
"It also involves the abuse of government machinery, using outside mechanisms not prescribed by law to publicly vilify and cast aspersions on an ex-Attorney General of Malaysia in respect of his conduct while in office," he added.
Judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh fixed Aug 8 for a decision on the striking out application.
Thomas, who was the Attorney-General from June 2018 to February 2020, had sought a declaration that the report titled 'Report of the Special Task Force - Investigation into the Allegations in the Book Titled "My Story: Justice In The Wilderness", was an invalid document and against the law.
In the originating summons, Thomas claimed the publication of the report violated Sections 499 and 500 of the Penal Code and/or Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 beside sought a declaration that the publication of the report by the government, violated his right to his reputation as protected by Articles 5(1) and 13(1) of the Federal Constitution.
The book written by Thomas which was published in January 2021 courted a lot of controversies, which led to the Cabinet setting up a special task force on Oct 8, 2021, to conduct a study on the revelations contained in the book.
On Oct 13, 2022, the government declassified the special task force's report, which among other things, recommended that Thomas be investigated for possible offences.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Jun 15 2023
The High Court today was told that the content of former attorney-general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas' memoir titled 'My Story: Justice In the Wilderness' had roused public alarm. - BERNAMA/Filepic
Malaysia amalkan dasar luar yang seimbang, elak provokatif - Anwar
Malaysia mengamalkan pendekatan dasar luar yang seimbang antara Barat dan Timur, selain mengelakkan sebarang keadaan yang dilihat sebagai provokatif, kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Fokus Minggu Depan: Soladiriti Gaza merantasi bangsa dan agama
Break The Siege: Fokus Minggu Depan membincangkan topik Solidariti Gaza Merentasi Bangsa dan Agama susulan penangguhan misi penghantaran bantuan ke Gaza anjuran Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).
Boling padang: Daripada jaguh kampung, Farah Ain kini bergelar jaguh dunia!
Farah Ain berjaya menempatkan dirinya di puncak dunia dengan menggondol pingat emas perseorangan wanita di Kejohanan Boling Padang Dalam Dewan Dunia, Guernsey.
Kekejaman Zionis: Angka kematian meningkat ke lebih 34,000
Sekurang-kurangnya lapan rakyat Palestin terbunuh dan berpuluh-puluh cedera pada petang Jumaat dalam serangan Israel ke atas kem pelarian Nuseirat di tengah Gaza.
Pertumbuhan saksama: Penglibatan negara maju penting
Tengku Zafrul melihat kerjasama dan penglibatan negara maju sebagai aspek penting dalam membantu membawa kemampanan dan pertumbuhan yang seimbang.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Calon PH lancar manifesto minggu depan
Calon PH Pang Sock Tao akan melancarkan manifesto sempena PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu minggu depan.
SPRM siasat pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air
Seorang pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air disiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM).
TH tanggung lebih RM350 juta kos tunai haji tahun ini
Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) menanggung lebih RM350 juta membabitkan kos langsung dan tidak langsung tunai haji menerusi Bantuan Kewangan Haji pada tahun ini.
Musim haji: Persiap diri, jaga keselamatan dan kesihatan - Sultan Selangor
Sultan Sharafuddin menasihatkan jemaah agar membuat persiapan fizikal, emosi dan ilmu pengetahuan dengan sebaiknya.
Punca 70 peratus pekerja seluruh dunia berdepan penyakit
Perubahan iklim yang semakin ketara menyebabkan 70 peratus pekerja di seluruh dunia terdedah kepada pelbagai bahaya.
Najib mohon kerajaan halang tayangan dokumentari 'Man on the Run'
Muhammad Shafee berkata, apa yang lebih serius lagi adalah, Tommy turut membuat kesimpulan sendiri berhubung kes itu di luar mahkamah.
Laporan siasatan memoir: Tommy Thomas saman kerajaan, pasukan petugas khas
Tan Sri Tommy Thomas memfailkan saman terhadap pasukan petugas khas (STF) dan kerajaan Malaysia berhubung laporan siasatan memoirnya bertajuk "My Story: Justice In the Wilderness".
Rayuan Najib untuk kembalikan saman terhadap Tommy Thomas didengar 5 Feb
Peguam Daniel Annamalai, antara peguam yang mewakili Najib mengesahkan tarikh pendengaran rayuan itu.
Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan tarik diri dengar rayuan Najib saman Tommy Thomas
Beliau berhasrat menarik diri atas alasan suaminya pernah berkhidmat di bawah Thomas dan kerana kes berkenaan melibatkan kepentingan awam.
Najib dibenar ke mahkamah dengar rayuan saman RM1.9 juta terhadap Tommy Thomas pada 4 Okt
Najib dibenar hadir ke mahkamah minggu depan untuk pendengaran rayuannya berhubung saman RM1.9 juta terhadap bekas Peguam Negara, Tommy Thomas.
Senarai nama jawatankuasa RCI siasat buku Tommy Thomas akan dikemuka kepada Agong - Zahid
Ahmad Zahid berkata, butiran senarai nama itu akan dibawa oleh Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Undang-Undang dan Reformasi Institusi), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Rayuan Najib gugurkan dua peguam Tommy Thomas ditolak
Hakim Hanipah berkata tiada kaitan antara kedua-dua peguam cara itu dan punca tindakan Najib dalam saman tersebut.
Najib dibenar hadir ke mahkamah, ikuti prosiding rayuan berkaitan saman terhadap Tommy Thomas
Kehadiran bekas Perdana Menteri itu ke mahkamah adalah penting bagi membolehkan peguambela mendapat arahan yang sewajarnya daripadanya (Najib) berhubung rayuan itu.
Pendakwaan salah: Sundra Rajoo tidak teruskan saman terhadap Tommy Thomas, 12 lagi
Ini berikutan Sundra Rajoo telah memfailkan notis pemberhentian menerusi Tetuan Cheok Ng Lee Law Chambers pada 8 Mac lepas.
Laporan siasatan buku: Permohonan pasukan petugas, kerajaan batal saman Tommy Thomas didengar 15 Jun
Thomas memfailkan saman itu dengan menamakan Pengerusi Pasukan Petugas Khas, tujuh ahli pasukan itu dan kerajaan sebagai defendan.