Below is a statement issued by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's office, following news that law firm Shafee & Co has been discharged from representing him in his final appeal in the SRC International Sdn Bhd graft case, and that Hisyam Teh Poh Teik has been appointed as the lead counsel instead.
Hisyam would be assisted by Liew Teck Huat and Rueben Mathiavaranam, two lawyers from law firm Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew and Partners.
Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak wishes to confirm the appointment of Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew and Partners as solicitors for his SRC appeal together with Hisyam as his lead counsel and other co-counsels.
The change of lawyers comes after Queen's Counsel Jonathan Laidlow was not admitted to appear for Datuk Seri Najib, and after he consulted lawyers in Singapore and Indian senior advocates on the matter.
The appointment is effective from Monday (July 25).
Datuk Seri Najib expresses confidence that the new team that has been assembled will bring different perspectives to his defence.
The charge of conflict of interest is a serious one, both for the judge and the litigants.
The application is filed in the court in that regard. Datuk Seri Najib would not want to comment on the issue as the matter is now pending before the Federal Court.
[The Pekan Member of Parliament has filed an application to adduce fresh evidence, which comes up for case management this Friday (July 29).]
[The additional evidence relates to trial judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali's alleged conflict of interest, as he served as a general counsel and company secretary of Maybank Group in 2006, which Najib claims presents a real danger of bias.]
[The prosecution has contended that the application is nothing but a fishing expedition, as Nazlan's involvement in Maybank was in the public domain in 2018, before the commencement of the SRC trial in April 2019.]
He went on to state that the previous solicitor in the SRC appeal, Shafee and Co, and former counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah continue as the solicitor and counsel in all other cases involving Datuk Seri Najib that are currently before the Malaysian courts.
Datuk Seri Najib wishes to express his support and appreciation to his entire legal team for their continuing commitment and effort in ensuring he is given a fair trial.
He also wishes to state that it is unfair for media to conclude or report that Shafee and Co has been "evicted" or "ditched".
He joins many others in their confidence that the Malaysian legal system and legal processes will prove his innocence, and provide the justice that all Malaysians deserve in law.
Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak