KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — It is customary for government agencies to be represented by a lawyer from the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) in any legal case, including in an inquest, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador said today.
He was weighing in on public bewilderment following the abrupt withdrawal of a private lawyer Syazlin Mansor who had been engaged to represent the Fire and Rescue Department and the Housing and Local Government Ministry at the inquest of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim.
“The priority of a ministry or any department for a court process or an inquest, most of the time the responsibility is undertaken by the AGC, and not within the lawyer’s personal capacity,” he replied reporters when asked for comment.
“So there might be some confusion there,” he added.
Abdul Hamid also said it was possible that Syazlin chose to bow out of handling the case.
However, his deputy Datuk Mazlan Mansor did not think that Syazlin withdrew due to political pressure from certain parties as widely rumoured.
He said the inquest had not concluded, but emphasised that the police had fulfilled its role in investigating the fireman’s death last December 17 when he succumbed to extensive injuries sustained during a riot at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya, Selangor on November 27.
“That is an inquest, it is up to the coroner. Our investigations are complete.
“We have even gone up as witnesses for the inquest,” the deputy inspector-general of police said.
Syazlin announced her withdrawal during proceedings before Coroner Rofiah Mohamad on the 37th day of the inquest yesterday, triggering an avalanche of questions.
Syazlin had also represented the family of 24-year-old Adib.
Syazlin was quoted in several media reports saying she had met with Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and came to the decision after weighing the pros and cons.
Zuraida was later quoted as saying Syazlin was “instructed to revoke” herself as lead counsel in the ongoing inquest.
