LAWYERS involved in the inquest investigating the death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim are all supporting the deputy public prosecutor’s bid to oppose a stay in the proceedings.

A group called the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple task force is seeking to stay the inquest as it wants to hold a watching brief as an interested party.

The inquest, which has gone on for 12 days and heard the testimony of 19 witnesses, comprises representatives from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), lawyers representing Adib’s family and a lawyer holding a watching brief for the Housing and Local Government Ministry. 

Deputy public prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah told coroner Rofiah Mohamad Mansor that all lawyers in the inquest objected to the stay. 

“The lawyers have voluntarily given their support to oppose the stay,” Hamdan said. 

He said the Court of Appeal will hear their appeal on Monday (March 4). 

The coroner then adjourned proceedings for the day. The inquest will resume on March 19. 

This was done so that Hamdan could file an affidavit at the Court of Appeal this afternoon on the stay. 

Last week, Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple task force’s bid to obtain an interim stay in the proceedings was rejected by the Court of Appeal. 

A three-man bench led by judge Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid rejected the stay request, on grounds that the inquest is of public interest.

The task force filed the stay application on February 13, pending the disposal of an appeal against a high court ruling that the task force is not an interested party in the inquest.

The task force is seeking to be an interested party by allowing its lawyer to hold a watching brief.

The high court on January 31 rejected the application filed by task force lawyer M. Visvanathan on the grounds that the task force has no clear, substantive and reasonable interests in the ongoing inquest. 

Adib, who sustained serious injuries in riots at the temple in November, died the following month at the National Heart Institute. – March 1, 2019.