THE Attorney General’s Chambers has opposed a lawyer’s application for leave to file a judicial review challenging two orders issued by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) involving his client, businessman Albert Tei.
Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan argued before the High Court that the MACC orders directed at Mahajoth Singh, 31, requiring him to attend an examination and produce documents, fall within the commission’s investigatory functions and are therefore not subject to judicial review.
“Orders under Section 30(1)(a) and (b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 constitute the execution of functions in the criminal investigation process.
“Therefore, they are not subject to judicial review,” he said during proceedings before High Court Judge Alice Yoke Yee Ching.
Mahajoth’s counsel, N. Surendran, countered that the orders were invalid and unenforceable, claiming that the MACC had breached statutory protections safeguarding confidential communications between a lawyer and client under Section 126 of the Evidence Act 1950 and Section 46(2) of the MACC Act 2009.
The court has set 28 January to decide on Mahajoth’s application, which was filed on 9 December last year.
Among the items requested by the MACC are Tei’s mobile phone, documents related to furniture purchases, clothing, cameras, and copies of WhatsApp conversations between Tei and various individuals. - January 6, 2025
