Haniff Khatri pans ex-AG, cites 'lawyer-client interest' in memoir content
Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla has taken a swipe at former attorney-general Tommy Thomas based on the reported contents of the latter's memoir.
Haniff said he has yet to read the book titled My Story: Justice in the Wilderness but an article published by Malaysiakini that quoted excerpts had raised four questions, including on Thomas' professionalism throughout his two years in office and beyond.
Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla has taken a swipe at former attorney-general Tommy Thomas based on the reported contents of the latter's memoir.
Haniff said he has yet to read the book titled My Story: Justice in the Wilderness but an article published by Malaysiakini that quoted excerpts had raised four questions, including on Thomas' professionalism throughout his two years in office and beyond.
Even as an attorney-general, he said, Thomas should remain bound to the basic concept of "lawyer-client interest" which dictates a non-disclosure of any advice given while in service.
"Unless in circumstances permitted by the law, (such advice) cannot be disclosed to the public, as the structure of trust and legal integrity will be affected, if it is done without thought, what more by an attorney-general or a former attorney-general," he added in a statement yesterday.
Based on the excerpts, Haniff, who in the past represented Dr Mahathir Mohamad in several legal challenges, disputed Thomas' views that the former prime minister had voluntarily resigned from his position in February last year and subsequently triggered the political turmoil leading to Perikatan Nasional (PN) taking over Putrajaya.
Haniff instead insisted that Mahathir was required, under the Federal Constitution, to meet the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and resign following events after the "Sheraton Move" that saw Pakatan Harapan losing majority support due to defections.
Further, Haniff claimed, Thomas sparked a controversy with his claim that Mahathir had intervened and insisted on being appointed interim prime minister when the king proposed Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the position.
"This requires a confirmation on whether what Thomas had said is accurate or otherwise, as additionally, it would drag the good name of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong into a conflict over a previously undisclosed issue," he added.
Haniff also claimed that Thomas' views on Mahathir, as contained in the memoir, appeared to be at odds with his reported opinion, on the same issue last year, that there was no time limit for an interim prime minister to hold office.
The senior lawyer added that he would procure a copy of the 573-page memoir sold by independent publisher Gerak Budaya to read it in full before issuing further comments.
Malaysiakini has contacted Thomas for his response.
