THE involvement of Umno lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in her father Anwar Ibrahim’s second sodomy case is proof that the justice system needs thorough reform, Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said.

Shafee, a prominent lawyer, led the prosecution team in Anwar’s second sodomy case in 2013, which sent the then opposition leader back to jail in 2015.

He said in a statement on Saturday it was Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had persuaded then prime minister Najib Razak to pick him for the job. Dr Mahathir was still with Umno and Barisan Nasional at the time.

Nurul Izzah, Anwar’s eldest child, said the Pakatan Harapan government has to execute the reform as promised by the coalition in its 14th general election manifesto.

PH pledged to review the appointments of judges and the attorney-general, and the duties of the A-G in criminal prosecution matters.

“All the more reason to reform the judicial system as meaningfully and holistically as possible (with the Shafee episode),” Izzah told The Malaysian Insight.

The controversy surrounding Shafee is over the RM9.5 million he reportedly received from Najib in September 2013 to February 2014 when he was made special prosecutor in Anwar’s sodomy appeal at the Federal Court.

Anwar said Najib paid Shafee the amount to prosecute him.

The PKR president-elect said on Friday that an affidavit by an officer from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) backed his claim that the Umno lawyer was paid RM9.5 million after prosecuting him.

But Shafee has denied the claim, saying that the money was payment for his legal services to Umno and the government since the days when Dr Mahathir was Umno president and prime minister the first time.

The lawyer is now representing Najib in the criminal breach of trust and money-laundering charges in relation to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Meanwhile, Senator Yusmadi Yusof, who is also a lawyer, said Shafee’s statement revealed many new facts.

“It has revealed that many issues and facts related to the prosecution against Anwar were not presented to the court, police, law enforcement and the people,” he said.

Yusmadi, who is also from PKR and previously handled the campaign to free Anwar, said it was time for the PH government to implement systemic reforms, not just Dr Mahathir alone.

“I am not going on sentiment, but I am seeing the issue as it is – injustice by the institution. This can happen to anyone.

“The responsibility to correct it is not just Dr Mahathir’s duty. This must be the collective duty of everyone.”

Yusmadi said the new Malaysia has to respect the rule of law, human rights and uphold justice. – September 10, 2018.