Wan Junaidi: Bar's criticisms against probe into Thomas' book 'baseless'

The Malaysian Bar’s questioning of the impartiality of the Special Task Force (STF) investigating allegations made by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas in his memoir is both baseless and inaccurate, said Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar today.

Wan Junaidi, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), said the investigation was carried out in a responsible and impartial manner.

“The STF members had conducted the mandate entrusted to them with full commitment, responsibility, and free from any form of intervention.

“All findings obtained were based on the 19 consultations conducted by the STF amongst the various stakeholders. The STF had also looked into the various documents that were provided by the relevant agencies,” he said.

Wan Junaidi then pointed out that the Malaysian Bar had turned down an invitation by the STF to participate in a consultation session.

“The Malaysian Bar ought to have come forward and given their views on the various allegations identified by the STF. 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.

“As such, casting a negative perception on the impartiality of the STF members is completely baseless,” he said.

Wan Junaidi also stressed that the STF’s methodology, analyses, and stakeholders involved - even those who refused to participate - are all listed in the final report.

“This clearly shows that the STF had conducted the job in a responsible, transparent, and impartial manner,” he added.

GE15 ammunition

In a statement yesterday, president of the Malaysian Bar Karen Cheah raised concerns of the STF’s impartiality after caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob admitted he declassified the report so it can be used as ammunition to attack the opposition in the 15th general election.

“The Malaysian Bar puts on record that it is perturbed by the untimely declassification of the STF report, which coincides with the recent dissolution of Parliament on Oct 10 and the upcoming general election on Nov 19,” said Cheah.

The STF was set up last December to investigate Thomas’ book titled ‘My Story: Justice in the Wilderness’.

The book covered Thomas’ stint as attorney-general from 2018 to 2020. Among others, he addressed the appointment of judges, alleged interference by the executive in the judiciary, and claims of selective prosecution.

The task force had recommended that Thomas be probed for sedition and breaking government secrecy laws. The task force also suggested that Thomas interfered in judicial appointments.

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