KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 — Attorney General (AG) Tan Sri Idrus Harun has today sought to boost the morale of his staff, following remarks made by his predecessor Tan Sri Tommy Thomas over the credibility of some senior officers in the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
In a purported internal memo leaked to the media, Idrus also assured the AGC staff that he is not swayed by the remarks made by Thomas in his memoir released last week, and trusts his staff to continue serving justice without fear or favour.
“I am very proud of the abilities, skills, commitment and dedication of my officers who have shown excellent performance and achievement in addressing the issues and challenges facing the country today which are very complex and critical.
“Therefore, I call on you to maintain an excellent work performance and continue to drive the AGC towards success in line with the aspiration of ‘determined to uphold justice’,” Idrus purportedly said in the memo.
Malay Mail is attempting to verify the authenticity of the memo. The AGC has yet to comment on the matter.
In the purported memo, Idrus said he acknowledges that the contents of the book have led a plethora of reaction from various parties, including questioning the credibility of and competency of AGC officers.
“The content of this book has a negative impact especially from outsiders’ perspective and it has directly affected the morale and the spirit of law enforcement officials.
“Also, in my opinion, it is a significant insult to our legal institution, which we respect and admire,” said Idrus.
Thomas’s 500-page book My Story: Justice in the Wilderness was published on January 30 and had generated intense interest and controversy of the issues and affairs that occurred during his tenure as the AG from 2018 to 2020.
Since then, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has issued a demand for an apology via his lawyers, as well as seeking RM10 million in damages, over allegations made against him in the book concerning the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.
He was followed by former solicitor general III Datuk Mohamad Hanafiqh Zakaria, who filed a police report against Thomas for allegedly claiming in the book that he was incapable of prosecuting Najib for corruption in the SRC International case.
Earlier today Thomas’ immediate predecessor as AG Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali also filed a police report, claiming he had violated the Official Secrets Act by publishing his memoir.
