More than just a storm in the tea cup for Gani?

 

 

 

THEORIES a plenty – now that many have come to know of (via online media with Malaysiakini first breaking it) the mystery meeting between famous lawyer Datuk Shafee Abdullah, former top cop Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad – during which the “misconduct” of AG Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was discussed.

  

 

Also of Mat Zain’s extensive statutory declaration against Gani – “suggesting” for want of a better word, that the AG was “ill prepared” before the International Court of Justice resulting in the loss of Pulau Batu Putih to Singapore.

 

We all know the details by now. Hence the big question – are the allegations true? Hence the call by Mat Zain himself, for a RCI to look into it. In the event of that happening, then that poser will be answered. Should be anyway. 

 

So the next big question – why? As to why all these “things” are hurled at Gani. With all the “central figures” keeping mum, theories a-plenty, as said earlier. One such “theory”  is the mystery meeting “suggests a move against the AG”.

 

Before this Batu Putih SD, Mat Zain has been sending open letters to the authorities urging action against allegedly corrupt government officers involved in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s first sodomy trial. And he had also alleged that Gani had fabricated evidence in the course of investigations into Anwar’s black eye incident. Mat Zain was, then, the investigating officer.

 

So it’s not wrong to say Mat Zain has been “consistent” with his allegations.

 

But why is Mahathir involved? Is he “going after Gani”? Aides of the former PM didn’t want to respond. According to an acquaintance of Gani, said the former PM and the AG enjoy good relations. 

 

Which brings us to Shafee. Is he also “out to get” the AG? If so, why? Wasn’t it the AG who had appointed him to head the prosecution in the appeal against Anwar’s acquittal on the second sodomy charge?

 

Another “theory” has it as this being a case of “someone stepping on someone’s toes”. No details. No specifics as to who is stepping on whose toes.

 

There’s also this talk of the AG becoming too powerful for the powerful – thus this “attempt to get rid of him”. Again, nothing to back it up as to who ‘the powerful’ are and what big cases are being pursued.

 

People who are supposed to be in the know, even among the legal fraternity, are not talking. Not openly, at least. Except to say “baffling” and “interesting” when asked  just what is going on. Nothing more.

 

But to PAS Youth’s Ahmad Zamri Asa’ad Khuzaimi, himself a lawyer, considering the people who attended the meeting with Mahathir “it appears that the revelation to the media is to put pressure on Gani and his boss Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak”.

 

Now, on to remarks made by Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman as reported by The Malaysian Insider. Said the former AG, it’s pointless to congregate at someone’s house and badmouth the individual without pursuing further action.

 

Therefore, those with evidence of criminal wrong doing by the AG must be responsible enough to lodge police reports and stand by the allegations, said Abu Talib.

 

But to Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen, state institutions like the police, the AG’s Chambers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) are not free from political interference and as such, police reports if any, made against Gani “will come to nothing”.