Coroner allows Adib’s family application to cite A-G for contempt

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 27 Aug 2019 12:45PM · 3 Comments

THE family of Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim have been given approval by Shah Alam Coroner’s Court to cite Attorney-General Tommy Thomas for contempt, for allegedly interrupting proceedings of the inquest into the fireman’s death.

Coroner Rofiah Mohamad said the late fireman’s family had proven a prima facie case against the attorney-general.

“Whether it was interference or scandalising (the court), it falls under the ambit of contempt. So, it is fair for the A-G to explain himself,” she said today.

Lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla represented the family and senior federal counsel S. Narkunavathy appeared for the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Last week, Narkunavathy had argued that there was no prima facie evidence that Thomas had interfered in the inquest.

She told the court that Adib’s family’s ex parte application for permission for the committal proceeding was incomplete.

“They are claiming that the A-G had disrupted the inquest. But they didn’t state how (he disrupted the inquest),” she said in the Shah Alam High Court.

Haniff had previously said there was reason to believe that Thomas’ May 28 media statement about the family’s former lawyer Syazlin Mansor verged on contempt.

Thomas had said in the statement that the Attorney-General’s Chambers had ordered Syazlin to withdraw her services as the government’s legal representative in the inquest because it was a conflict of interest for her to represent the government and the deceased’s family at the same time.

Syazlin, who was representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry, and the Fire and Rescue Department as well as the fireman’s family in the inquest, had abruptly quit all her three clients in May, saying nothing more than that she had been told to do so.

Subsequently, she continued to represent Adib’s family.

Narkunavathy said Adib’s family were required to show how the A-G’s media statement had disrupted the inquest proceedings and prevented Syazlin from representing them.

“The A-G pulled her out from representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry, and the Fire and Rescue Department but didn’t say she couldn’t represent Adib’s family,” she said. 

The coroner’s court will deliver the verdict on Adib’s death on September 27. – August 27, 2019.

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Comments

  • Is this coroner sufficiently qualified to hear this case?

    Posted 6 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • We should look at substance over form. Clearly there was a conflict of interest for her to have represented the Govt as well as the deceased family. That is a greater travesty that warranted urgent remedial action. Why are the parties not questioning this grave conflict of interest.

    The AG did the right thing by asking Syazlin to cease representing the Govt and for this he is cited for contempt

    Posted 6 years ago by Super Duper · Reply

  • Haniff, please advise the family accordingly and without any prejudice. Their objective surely is to find closure in the unfortunate death of Adib. Going after the AG for allege contempt is a waste of time and effort. The AG's actions prejudices no party's interest or position in fact it addresses a potential conflict of interest situation. That should have been taken into account.

    Posted 6 years ago by Super Duper · Reply