Law minister: Special task force identified 19 points from Tommy Thomas' book that warrant 'attention'

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — The special task force formed to look into allegations by former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas in his book titled My Story: Justice in the Wilderness has found 19 key issues that warrant "further attention" by the government, de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today.

Its findings will be featured in a final report to be tabled before the Cabinet soon, the minister announced in a statement issued this morning.

"The final report was prepared after detailed study of documents and consultations with the relevant parties. In this matter, up to 19 consultation sessions were held with various interested parties comprising government and non-governmental agencies, and individuals," he said.

"Among others, the task force identified 19 key issues from the book that warrant further attention from the government," the minister added.

Today's announcement came albeit a two-month delay in the preparation of the final report.

Wan Junaidi had said in April that the task force would be ready to present its final findings by June after the committee that monitored the special task force viewed and endorsed an interim version of the report that same month.

"Moving forward, the final report will be tabled before the Cabinet in the near future in order to get the mandate and directive for the necessary follow-through action," Wan Junaidi said in today's statement.

The special task force was appointed by the Cabinet on December 22 last year and, according to Wan Junaidi, had conducted 10 meetings between December 23, 2021 and April 12.

He said the meetings involved discussions and consultations with relevant individuals and government agencies such as the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), Royal Malaysia Police, Judicial Services Commission, Office of the Chief Registrar Federal Court of Malaysia, Finance Ministry, Foreign Ministry, and the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry.

The special task force is chaired by Sarawak state legal adviser and former Sarawak state attorney general Datuk Seri Fong Joo Chung.

In January, Thomas wrote to Chung and said he has no intention of cooperating with the investigation as the task force’s creation is not only unprecedented but without legal basis, and potentially jeopardises the independence of the AGC.

After Thomas published his book in January last year, more than 100 police reports were made against him, with a significant number coming from Umno members.