Lawyers, representing PKR strategies director Rafizi Ramli who blew the whistle on the National Feedlot Corporation, have hit out that the company's counsel insisting that their client be charged under the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 (Bafia).

"This is a self-serving and preposterous statement by the legal representatives of the NFC, bearing in mind that Rafizi's act had revealed misuse of the RM250 million government loan given to NFC.

NONE "What business or moral authority do they have to issue statements on the Bafia charges against Rafizi?" said N Surendran and Latheefa Koya in a joint statement today.

The duo stressed that Rafizi's expose, though in contravention of Bafia, was a "public-spirited" act which should not have led to charges being laid against him.

They were responding to NFC's legal team which urged attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail not to be swayed in its resolve to prosecute Rafizi as not doing so would court chaos in the financial system.

Hypocrisy tag pinned on plea

However, Rafizi's lawyers said this assertion was "sheer hypocrisy" and shot down NFC's argument that their client should have gone through proper channels, stating that had he not gone public, the NFC abuse might not have seen the light.

"Do they seriously suggest that the Umno and the BN government would have taken any action against NFC in the absence of the public pressure created by Rafizi's revelations of the banking transactions?

"Shafee & Co (law firm for NFC) needs to understand that the Bafia was never intended to be used to conceal or prevent the exposure of criminal acts," they said.

NONE As such, the lawyers said Abdul Gani should exercise his discretion by not charging Rafizi's  ( left )"brave and honourable act" which benefited the public.

"We call upon the attorney-general, Bank Negara and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to immediately drop all charges against Rafizi, in the name of justice and the public interest."