THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today fixed June 15 to hear the application of a special task force and the government to quash a suit initiated by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas regarding an investigation report on the contents of his memoir, “My Story: Justice In the Wilderness”. 

Thomas filed the suit naming the special task force chairman Fong Joo Chung, seven other members of the team, as well as the government as defendants. 

Besides Fong, the special task force comprises Hashim Paijan, Junaidah Kamaruddin, Jagjit Singh Bant Singh, Shaharudin Ali, K. Balaguru, Farah Adura Hamidi and Mohd Najib Surip.

Senior federal counsel Nur Irmawatie Daud, who represents the defendants, when contacted said the court ordered the defence to file written submissions by March 27. 

“The plaintiff has been ordered to file written submissions on April 10, and all the defendants to file counter submissions on May 2, if any,” she said after the online case management before judge Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh today.

Lawyer Haikaldin Mahyidin represented Thomas. 

Thomas, who was attorney-general from June 2018 to February 2020, had sought a declaration that “Report of the Special Task Force – Investigation into the Allegations in the Book Titled ‘My Story: Justice In The Wilderness’”, is an invalid document and is against the law.

In the originating summons, he claimed the publication of the report violated sections 499 and 500 of the penal code and/or section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

He also sought a declaration that the publication of the report by the government violated his right to his reputation, as protected by articles 5(1) and 13(1) of the Federal Constitution.

Thomas’ book, which was published in January 2021, courted huge controversy, leading the cabinet to set up a special task force on October 8, 2021, to conduct a study on the revelations contained in the book.

On October 13, 2022, the government declassified the special task force’s report, which, among other things, recommended that Thomas be investigated for possible offences. – Bernama, February 27, 2023.