KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — Welcoming the Cabinet’s decision to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into former attorney-general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas’ memoir, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today called on party colleague Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said to make sure there will be full disclosure in its findings.
Zahid, who is deputy prime minister in the Anwar administration, noted that Azalina who the de facto law and reform minister, has a heavy burden as the party’s future rests on her shoulders.
“All information, documents and secret agenda must be uncovered. Aza, this is your responsibility.
“If you fail, Umno will fail. If you succeed, the party rewards you,” he said in his policy speech during the Malay nationalist party’s general assembly at the World Trade Centre here.
Thomas’ memoir titled My Story: Justice in the Wilderness published in January 2021, caused a public uproar that prompted then prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri to form a special task force in October the same year as a fact-finding body to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of its contents.
More than a hundred police reports were lodged against Thomas for his book.
Two days ago, the government now led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the formation of an RCI to further examine the allegations made by Thomas in his controversial book that narrated his view of events when he was appointed attorney-general by the first Pakatan Harapan federal government.
Azalina has said that the RCI’s terms of commission will have a scope wider than the task force’s recommendations.
“The government takes a serious view of the allegations involving the violation of professional responsibilities by a bearer of high office.
“The RCI aims to find the truth and submit recommendations to the government on the reform of the country’s legal institutions and not to find fault with any particular party,” she said in a statement.
