KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has lambasted the judiciary and the government for their alleged “double standards” against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Zaid, who had briefly acted as Najib’s solicitor during the latter’s SRC International final appeal hearing, was puzzled as to how the Federal Court, at every turn, rejected the Pekan MP’s bid to adduce new evidence and postpone the trial, as the defence lawyers require adequate time to prepare and argue the case.
“Why we decided to defend Najib Razak is not because we support corruption, not because we support those who abuse their power, but we are fighting for a just legal process.
“If the son of Tun Razak did not receive a fair trial, could we the ordinary rakyat hope to receive one as well?
“We only asked for an adjournment of two months, not two years, to review the records of the case,” he said in a video he posted on his Facebook today.
Zaid said such treatment differs from other high-profile cases such as that of businessman Nicky Liow, who was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for his Sosma case at the Shah Alam High Court.
Similarly, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s son was originally charged with drug offences but had them reduced simply by way of a letter of representation to the attorney-general, claimed Zaid.
“Don’t practice double standards. If you are talking about intervention (by those in power), these are examples of intervention.
“Don’t be a hypocrite. We want fair treatment for all of the people,” he said.
Prior to the start of the final appeal hearing, Najib had changed lawyers, replacing Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah and his law firm Shafee & Co with Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, as well as with Zaid and lawyers from Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, effective July 25.
However, on August 19, Hisyam informed the Federal Court that Zaid’s law firm was discharged as solicitors in the case.
Zaid, who was a former law minister under Umno, then urged party members to ensure that the party will win the coming general election or risk being destroyed.
He also laments that there are some leaders within Umno who are working with their political rivals.
However, he stopped short of naming any individual.
“If Umno loses, then the party will be buried and no longer act as a platform to fight for race and country,” he said.
“The government that is led by Umno today is also supported by its enemies. The longer we support this government, then expect Umno to suffer more abuses,” he said.
This follows after the Federal Court on Tuesday upheld Najib’s SRC International conviction, where he is sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million. – The Vibes, August 26, 2022
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