17-8-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has announced its intention to conduct a thorough investigation into the purported leakage of confidential documents involving a prosecutor’s recommendation to drop six corruption charges against former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former Treasury Secretary-General Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah in 2019. The recommendation was addressed to the then Attorney General, Tan Sri Tommy Thomas. Current Attorney General, Tan Sri Idrus Harun, affirmed the AGC’s commitment to uncovering the truth behind this alleged breach.
Idrus Harun refrained from commenting on the specifics of the leaked 12-page internal memo that has recently gained prominence on political portals. He confirmed, however, that the AGC was actively investigating the source of the leaked documents. His statement underscores the seriousness of the matter, which pertains to the alleged disclosure of confidential information within the legal sphere.
Meanwhile, Tan Sri Tommy Thomas, to whom the internal memo was reportedly submitted on September 10, 2019, responded to the allegations. He clarified that his resignation from the Attorney General’s post in February 2020 was unplanned and occurred without the transfer of any official files or documents. Thomas emphasized that he currently lacks access to any AGC files, and therefore, could not verify or recall the context of the alleged leaked memo.
The leaked internal memo, which has gained viral attention, reportedly originated from the AGC. The document pertained to concerns raised by the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) prosecution team regarding the viability of building a robust prima facie case for the six charges. The charges against Najib Razak and Mohd Irwan relate to a breach of trust amounting to RM6.6 billion in government funds, specifically involving payments to IPIC.
These charges were initially brought forward in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on October 25, 2018. Subsequently, the case was transferred to the High Court on December 7, 2018. While Najib’s first representation for the charges to be dropped was rejected two years ago, he submitted a second representation to the AGC on August 9 this year.
Likewise, Mohd Irwan submitted his initial representation in 2020, which allegedly remained unanswered by the AGC. In response to this lack of correspondence, Mohd Irwan sent a follow-up representation in March this year, seeking further clarity on the status of his case.
