CIVIL servants who leak government information will be prosecuted as the problem is prevalent in the new Pakatan Harapan government, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said today.

“I confirm it is a general problem facing the entire administration,” he said. 

“Secrets are revealed. It’s a problem facing every minister.”

He said the Attorney-General’s Chambers would charge government officials responsible for leaks but only after investigation by enforcement agencies. 

“This is the result of 60 years of one-party rule. Those who govern state governments will tell you that they faced the same problem the first four, five years.

“For example, when we appointed the lawyers (litigators) in Singapore (to make claims for frozen accounts), a Singapore lawyer told me that Bernama called him up and told him he had been appointed. They were shocked.

“I demand confidence and secrecy. That is something I’ve been trying to tell chambers. I think some charges ought to be made,” Thomas said at a special private session for the media at the International Malaysia Law Conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

He was referring to reports last month that Putrajaya had appointed a firm in the republic, Tan Rajah & Cheah, to institute legal action against 53 individuals and companies to claim monies belonging to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The news was reported quoting an unnamed source.

To a question by Malaysian Bar president George Varughese on whether he would engage more private lawyers to the legal team acting on 1MDB, Thomas said it would not be a common practice.

Varughese’s question was in regard to the chamber’s hiring of shipping lawyer Sitpah Selvaratnam, from Thomas’ former legal firm. Selvaratnam was hired to handle the government’s claim on the Equanimity super yacht allegedly bought with funds stolen from 1MDB.

The attorney-general said chambers may need only a few more private practising lawyers specialising in shipping, intellectual property or aviation.

“I’m heading Malaysia’s largest law office of 1,200 lawyers spread over the country. You must respect their ability, especially in criminal law,” he said. 

He added that the chambers had up to 600 deputy public prosecutors, all of whom possessed abilities to prosecute that he had confidence in.  

“There are egos involved and there’s the issue of trust and confidence. There are a lot of factors. Down the road, I don’t rule out fiat… I say this because this is my judgement call.

“Please take into account my position. I have to tread very carefully. I’m trying to balance everybody’s interest.” – August 14, 2018.