Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zakarshi (left) said a witness had testified that Tommy Thomas ordered the prosecution to charge former Felda chairman Shahrir Samad although the investigation papers were incomplete.
PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zakarshi has called for an investigation into former attorney-general Tommy Thomas for alleged “political prosecution” following testimony by a witness in the trial of former Felda chairman Shahrir Samad.
Puad said that the testimony by a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer was proof that Thomas had carried out selective prosecution.
“The witness admitted that the investigation papers (IP) to prosecute Shahrir were incomplete but oddly enough, Thomas ordered the prosecution to proceed,” he said.
Earlier today, Nurzahidah Yacop, 35, told the High Court that she was instructed by the prosecution, with permission given by Thomas on Jan 15, 2020, to charge Shahrir, although the investigation papers on the case were still incomplete.
She said this when cross-examined by Shahrir’s lawyer Syed Faisal Syed Abdullah Al-Edros at the trial of the former Johor Bahru MP, who is facing a charge of failing to declare to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) the RM1 million he received from former prime minister Najib Razak.
Puad went on to say that this was why legal action taken against Umno leaders during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s second stint as prime minister could be considered politically motivated.
He said the reason for dragging the leaders to court was to support the narrative that the “court cluster” comprised many Umno leaders.
The “court cluster” refers to prominent Umno leaders such as Najib and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who are either on trial or have been convicted on charges such as criminal breach of trust (CBT), abuse of power and money laundering.
Puad also questioned if the MACC was used as a “political tool”, adding that claims of non-political interference in court cases during that period was “nonsense”.
