AGC REJECTS ISHAM JALIL'S REPRESENTATION TO OFFER APOLOGY TO JUDICIARY

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Bernama) -- The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has rejected former UMNO Supreme Council member Isham Jalil's representation seeking to apologise to the judiciary over his comments related to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) cases.

Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam disclosed this during today's hearing before High Court Judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin.

“The representation by the applicant (Isham, or his real name Hizatul Isham Abdul Jalil) was rejected by the AGC. We request the court to schedule a hearing date for the case," said Mohamad Mustaffa, who was assisted by DPP Ahmad Akram Gharib.

The representation seeking to resolve contempt proceedings against him through an apology was submitted to the AGC on March 25.

The proceeding was also attended by counsel Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun representing Isham.

On March 4, the court granted the AG’s application to initiate committal proceedings against Isham.

In an ex-parte application on Dec 28 last year, the AG also requested the court to imprison or impose a fine on Isham.

This action stemmed from an interview titled “Townhall for Justice: Keadilan Sebenarnya Untuk Siapa”, during which Isham reportedly commented on the trial and appeal of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the SRC International and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) cases.

The comments were published on the Facebook page of “The Malaya Post” on Sept 30 last year.

The AG claimed that in the interview, Isham was alleged to have challenged the recusal process involving Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who presided over the 1MDB trial at the High Court.

In addition, the AG asserted that Isham's statements had tarnished the reputation of the judiciary and could potentially erode public confidence in the institution.

-- BERNAMA