Latest news with #A-GC
New Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Najib's royal addendum lacked authenticity, says A-G
PUTRAJAYA: The royal addendum order by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong that purportedly allowed Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve his remaining jail term under house arrest lacked official authenticity, the Federal Court heard today. Attorney-General (A-G) Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar said the document, which was brought up by the former prime minister, lacked the official seal and signature of Pahang Sultan Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.. He said the document was also addressed to former attorney-general Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, who is now a Federal Court judge, instead of the director-general of the Prisons Department. "The document also lacks the signature of the federal territories minister and differs materially in format and structure from the early release order. "Najib also failed to prove the authenticity of the document," he said in his submissions to persuade the court to dismiss Najib's judicial review to compel the government to confirm the royal decree's existence and to implement its order. Dusuki said the former Pekan member of parliament had also failed to show urgency when he learned about the existence of the document, as he made no immediate effort to verify its authenticity or bring it before the court in a timely manner. "He did not show that he tried to contact Istana Negara or Istana Pahang over the purported document." However, Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah argued that the A-G's appeal should be dismissed as the issues raised by the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) did not warrant the top court's intervention under Section 96 of the Courts of Judicature Act. "The questions of law posed do not affect the outcome of the appeal since the Court of Appeal is dealing with an interlocutory matter — the leave application to commence judicial review. "The existence of the addendum order, which was initially dismissed as hearsay by the High Court, was later supported by direct evidence in the form of affidavits and a copy of the order provided by the former king via the Pahang royal household. "The fresh evidence, if true, would have had a determining influence upon the High Court's decision," he said. Shafee, in explaining why the document was not produced earlier, said Najib's eldest son Mohamad Nizar had made multiple attempts to seek permission to use the copy, but was only given the green light on Dec 2. Nizar in his supporting affidavit filed before the Court of Appeal had claimed that the Comptroller of the Sultan of Pahang's Royal Household, Datuk Ahmad Khirrizal Ab Rahman, had personally confirmed the existence and authenticity of the document. Shafee countered Dusuki by saying it was the A-GC's refusal to acknowledge or deny the authenticity of the document, despite it being addressed to the former A-G, that demonstrated a breach of the duty of candour. He said the A-GC also had every opportunity and means to verify the document with the Pahang royal household, but chose to remain silent. On Jan 6, a three-member Court of Appeal panel led by Datuk Azizah Nawawi, in a split decision, also allowed Najib's application to adduce additional affidavits to support his application. Najib, 71, is seeking a mandamus order compelling the respondents to confirm and disclose the existence of the alleged additional document dated Jan 29, 2024. He is currently serving a six-year prison sentence after being convicted of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd. The High Court had sentenced him to 12 years in prison with a fine of RM210 million, a verdict that was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court. However, his prison sentence was halved to six years and his fine reduced to RM50 million following his petition for a royal pardon in February last year.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Pahang police submit investigation papers in alleged royal assault probe
KUANTAN: Police have submitted investigation papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) regarding the alleged assault of a trader involving a member of the royal family at an entertainment venue here in May. Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said investigations were completed in accordance with A-GC instructions and submitted on June 23. "The investigation papers were initially submitted to federal police and the A-GC on June 18. "They were later returned with instructions to carry out several additional steps. "We have since complied and resubmitted the papers last week. "We are now awaiting further directives," he told reporters at a press conference at the Kuantan district police headquarters today. Yahaya said statements from 14 witnesses, including the trader, had been recorded, and no weapons were seized during the investigation. The assault incident came to light after a police report went viral on June 13, alleging that a 30-year-old trader was assaulted by a bodyguard and stabbed by a royal figure. The trader is said to have sustained injuries and lodged a police report on June 5. The case is being investigated under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt with a weapon, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, a fine, whipping, or any combination thereof upon conviction. On June 20, Wan Mohd Zahari said three men detained to assist in the investigation into the nightclub incident in May had been released on police bail. Barely a year ago, a member of the Pahang royal family was among five individuals jointly charged in a separate case for allegedly assaulting a 44-year-old man with a knife in Kuantan. Earlier, Yahaya witnessed the handover of duties involving Kuantan deputy police chief Superintendent Mohd Adli Mat Daud, who has been appointed acting district police chief, taking over from Assistant Commissioner Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu, who will assume his new role at the Perak Internal Security and Public Order Department tomorrow. Superintendent Wan Aedil Wan Abdullah has been appointed as the new Pahang Commercial Crime Investigation Department head.
New Straits Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
A-GC files appeal against Syed Saddiq's acquittal
KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) has filed a notice of appeal against the acquittal of Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman on charges of abetting criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of RM1 million belonging to Armada. The AGC, in a statement, said the prosecution filed the notice of appeal today against the entirety of the court's decision. Yesterday, a three-judge Court of Appeal panel led by Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim allowed the former youth and sports minister's appeal, setting aside his conviction, seven-year prison sentence, RM10 million fine, and two strokes of the rotan.
New Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
A-GC denies flawed prosecution in Najib's SRC case, cites evidence constraints
KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) has refuted claims that the prosecution in the money laundering case involving funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRC) was flawed. In a statement, the A-GC said it has consistently upheld the highest standards and quality in discharging its prosecutorial duties, in line with public expectations. "The A-GC remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will continue to carry out its responsibilities under the Federal Constitution with integrity, fairness and respect for judicial processes," the statement read. The statement followed the High Court's decision to grant a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over three money laundering charges involving RM27 million linked to SRC. High Court Judge K. Muniandy issued the ruling today after the prosecution failed to furnish the defence with hundreds of documents related to the trial, despite the charges being filed as early as 2019. Addressing the delay in trial proceedings, the A-GC said the case, first registered at the High Court in February 2019, was postponed on five occasions due to various factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, defence requests and applications by the prosecution itself. The A-GC said that proceedings for the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial had commenced while the first SRC case was still ongoing at the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court levels. This overlap led to delays in the second SRC trial, as both cases involved the use of key material documents required for the prosecution, it said. Following this, it said, there was no choice but to wait until the documents were made available. "Both cases involved the use of certain material documents that were also intended to be used in the second SRC trial. "As the documents in question are material to the second SRC trial, the prosecution had no choice but to wait until those documents became available, which is after the 1MDB trial proceedings have concluded. "It must be emphasised that the material documents are already available but are currently being used as evidence in the ongoing 1MDB trial," it said. The A-GC also said the prosecution had requested additional time to compile all the material documents to present them as evidence in the second SRC trial.
New Straits Times
20-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Cops fine-tune investigation papers in alleged royal assault probe
KUANTAN: Police have completed their investigation into the alleged assault of a trader involving a member of the royal family at an entertainment venue here last month. However, district police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the investigation papers were being refined in accordance with instructions from the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC). He said the papers were initially submitted to federal police and the A-GC on June 18, but were returned with directions to carry out several additional steps. "The department is taking the necessary action, and once completed, the investigation papers will be resubmitted to the A-GC," he said in a text message today. Meanwhile, Wan Mohd Zahari said that the three individuals detained to assist in the investigation had been released on police bail. He said that statements had been recorded from 14 individuals as part of the ongoing probe into the incident, which allegedly took place at a nightclub on Jalan Gambut on May 8. On June 13, a police report went viral, alleging that a 30-year-old trader was assaulted by a bodyguard and stabbed by a royal figure. The trader is said to have sustained injuries and lodged a police report on June 5. Wan Mohd Zahari said the case is being investigated under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt with a weapon, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, a fine, whipping, or any combination thereof upon conviction. Last year, a member of the royal family was among five individuals jointly charged in a separate case for allegedly assaulting a 44-year-old man with a knife in Kuantan.
