KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today denied news reports which suggested that his law firm had indicated it may discharge itself from acting for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the latter's final SRC appeal at the Federal Court if no postponement is granted.

Zaid was referring to news reports regarding an August 10 case management of Najib's SRC International Sdn Bhd case at the Federal Court, but claimed these reports were not correct or accurate.

"My Firm, Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners, did not make any statement during the Case Management hearing in Chambers that the Firm will be discharging itself as solicitors. We do not abandon our clients,” he said in a statement today.

"Any media report stating the contrary is mischievous and regrettable,” he added.

Zaid also stressed that the law firm was not motivated by money when it agreed to represent Najib in this SRC case.

"My Firm agreed to take on this Brief because our client, Dato’ Sri Najib Razak, has legitimate grievances with regard to his conviction, particularly on matters relating to rule of law, the law relating to bias, and conflict of interest,” he said.

Zaid said it is the sacred duty of any lawyer to represent accused persons with such grievances and to present the client's case to the best of our ability.

Noting Najib's legitimate expectation of getting a full and fair hearing at the Federal Court, Zaid said it was his law firm's duty as Najib's solicitors to enable that process, but noted that "scurrilous attacks” had been made against both his law firm and him personally while carrying out such duties.

Citing Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin's statement yesterday, Zaid said it was "grossly unfair” to insinuate that lawyers who take on cases at the last minute are motivated by money.

"I want to state categorically that throughout my career as lawyer and politician, I have never been motivated by money or position. Justice is what matters to me,” he said.

Zaid said it is preposterous to argue that a last-minute change of lawyers can never be justified, and instead argued that Najib's decision to change to an entire new team of lawyers for the SRC case was justified.

"In this case, there was a genuine need for a change of perspective and a reset of arguments in defence of our client’s case,” he said.

Zaid sought to defend Najib's decision to appoint his law firm in late July as the new legal team for the SRC case, arguing that Najib's SRC case had progressed faster than other high-profile cases.

"Another criticism levelled against Datuk Seri Najib and my firm is that our appointment was purely an attempt to delay the appeal,” he said.

"In answer to that, I ask that my critics compare this case to other high-profile cases that have come up before the courts. There is no doubt that this case has taken much less time to reach its present stage than most, if not all, of such cases. My pompous critics will know whose cases I am referring to.

"In any event, this is the first time Datuk Seri Najib has changed lawyers in this matter,” he added. Zaid said he believed that his law firm has brought a fresh perspective to the case, pointing out that Najib had on his new lawyers' advice abandoned or stopped pursuing certain points previously put forward in the SRC case.

"We are purely focused on constitutional principles, the rule of law, principles of natural justice and the specific legal and factual issues in the application for retrial and the appeal proper,” he said.

As for the Federal Court's expected hearing on next Monday of Najib's application to seek for a retrial of the SRC case, Zaid said the new team of lawyers will be prepared for it.

"We are prepared to proceed with the motion for retrial when it comes up for hearing on Monday,” he said.

Zaid said lawyers have a duty to justice without fear or favour, and that they should be slow to question why any lawyer accepts a case because they should respect the professional judgment of their peers. "Applying our professional judgement, my firm placed itself on record as solicitors for Datuk Seri Najib. We will continue to act for him for so long as we have his confidence,” he concluded.

While the Federal Court had in April already decided to start hearing the SRC appeal on August 15, Najib on July 25 abruptly discharged his entire legal team including Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah from representing him in the SRC case.

Shafee had been Najib's lead defence lawyer in the SRC case at both the High Court and at the Court of Appeal.

On July 26, Najib’s new legal team for the SRC case was announced to be headed by lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik from the law firm Hisyam Teh as his counsel, while the law firm Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners’ partners Liew Teck Huat and Rueben Mathiavaranam was reported to be his new solicitors for the SRC case.

Najib's new lawyers on July 26 indicated to the Federal Court that they intend to seek for the SRC appeal hearing to be postponed as a "wholly new team” had took over the case, but the Federal Court on July 28 replied that "no postponements will be allowed” for the hearing that is set to start on August 15.

It is understood that the Federal Court will on August 15 first hear Najib’s application to ultimately seek for a retrial, and is expected to proceed with the SRC appeal hearing if Najib fails to get a retrial.

Currently, the SRC appeal is scheduled to be heard at the Federal Court from August 15 to August 19 (next Monday to next Friday), and from August 23 to August 26 (Tuesday to Friday of the week after).

The appeal at the Federal Court will be Najib’s final appeal in the SRC case, since he had previously failed in the Court of Appeal in his appeal against his guilty verdict in the High Court.