Seek a review of Najib’s Federal Court judgment, lawyers told

Najib Razak’s lawyers have been urged to file for a judicial review of the Federal Court’s decision to uphold his conviction and sentence in the SRC International case.

(FMT) – Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi said remarks by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas in a media interview could be used as grounds for submission in court.

Thomas had said in an interview with Malaysiakini that he had chosen to first prosecute Najib in the SRC International case as it was “the easiest to prove”.

Puad countered: “Was it the easiest to prove or the easiest to manipulate?”

Thomas had also revealed that he had chosen to appoint external prosecutors Sulaiman Abdullah and Gopal Sri Ram as he wanted lawyers with experience in cases involving corporate, commercial and financing fraud.

Puad said the interview strengthened the belief of a selective prosecution being undertaken against Najib.

“I am confident that the interview would further raise doubt on the transparency of Najib’s prosecution by the Pakatan Harapan-led government,” said the Umno leader.

Not only legal practitioners such as former law minister Zaid Ibrahim but also lay people could see there was a double standard in Najib’s case, he said.

Yesterday, Zaid had thanked Thomas for exposing the double standard in the SRC International case.

Zaid said Thomas had contradicted himself by first saying that the case was “easiest to prove” but later in the same interview saying the case was “complicated” due to the voluminous documents and transactions that had to be reviewed.

Zaid’s firm was appointed to handle Najib’s appeal three weeks before it was heard by the Federal Court. An application for an adjournment of three to four months to prepare and review the “voluminous appeal records” was rejected.

On Aug 23, the Federal Court committed Najib to prison after upholding his conviction and sentence of 12 years’ jail and fine of RM210 million.