Citizens no longer need fear the ‘midnight knock of the policeman’, says new A-G

Bede Hong Bede Hong Updated 5 years ago · Published on 6 Jun 2018 2:22PM · 4 Comments

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas says selective prosecution will end immediately and citizens who have done no wrong need not fear midnight raids from authorities anymore. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, June 6, 2018.

NEWLY appointed Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said that “selective prosecution will immediately cease” and that all law-abiding citizens no longer need to fear oppression from enforcement authorities.

“Those who commit no wrong have nothing to fear. Malaysia is a free country. We should not fear the midnight knock of the policeman,” Thomas told reporters at the first press conference since his appointment.

“For those who flout the law, (they) will be met with the full force the law regardless of their station in life.

“On my part, I promise to do the right thing, that is to tell the truth and to do justice. Justice must not only be done but it must be seen to be done,” he said.

Thomas reported for his first day of work today after receiving his appointment letter this morning. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to Thomas’ appointment last night after a three-week impasse with Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration.

Thomas told reporters that as a “guardian of the public interest”, he will take into account the interests and the concerns of the public generally and not be confined to the interests of the executive.

“Conflicts of interests shall cease. Integrity shall be a priority. I shall discharge my duty honestly, fairly, freely, independently and to the best of my abilities,” he said.

Asked whether he would conduct his duties “without fear or favour” as compared to the allegations of bias on the part of former A-G Mohamed Apandi Ali, Thomas said: “Well, I cannot comment about my predecessor”.

“I’ve already had meetings with the prime minister. And he has already given me a free hand on the chambers. That’s not a problem. There will be no interference.”

“I can’t comment on the past. I can only tell you what I will do.”

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday that Apandi is not beyond any investigation if there are reports lodged against him.

“We have to first ascertain that there is a prima facie case against him,” Muhyiddin said. 

Apandi had cleared former prime minister Najib Razak of any wrongdoing in the 1MDB scandal despite investigations carried out against the state investor by authorities in at least six countries.

The former A-G was also accused by the United States Department of Justice (DoJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Swiss attorney-general of not cooperating with them in their investigations into the 1MDB scandal. – June 6, 2018. 

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Comments

  • "Those who commit no wrong have nothing to fear. Malaysia is a free country. We should not fear the midnight knock of the policeman,” Thomas ...Najib n Rosmah both not exempted.

    Posted 5 years ago by Mohanarajan murugeson · Reply

  • Definitely the A-G knows that people require 7-9 hours of mandatory sleep for good health (which incidentally poor me is not getting nowadays!). Might be becos' I am in my dotage now, after many years of unfulfilled, wasted life..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Add to the daily sleep requirement above this additional need of getting daily a minimum 600 IU of Vitamin D3 by basking in our sunlight for about 3O minutes everyday between the optimum times of 1O a.m. - 2 p.m. (from American health supplements manufacturer Dr. Joseph Mercola's natural health website which you can visit to correct any innocent mis-information from me). My nutritionist niece in Canada recommends that for the best health effect I take/get 3000 IU of this D3..

    Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Still got midnight knock from JAIS.

    Posted 5 years ago by Chin Tu Lan · Reply