PETALING JAYA: The task force investigating Tan Sri Tommy Thomas over his book has condensed 19 issues raised in the memoir into four – and the former attorney general is now being investigated for sedition and abuse of power.

He is also being probed over allegations against the judiciary and disclosure of classified information and official secrets.

In a statement yesterday, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the special task force into Thomas’ autobiography My Story: Justice in the Wilderness had presented a report at the Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya.

“The report by the task force, prepared over a nine-month period between December 2021 and August 2022, had detailed all the allegations as stated by Thomas in his book,” the Prime Minister said.

“Based on investigations, the task force categorised the 19 special issues in the book into four, namely allegations against the judiciary; disclosure of classified information and secrets; illegal actions, abuse of power and professional negligence; and seditious statements.

“The task force has made proposals for the government to consider the right actions to be taken.

“I have therefore instructed further investigations by the relevant enforcement authorities to investigate the possibility of misconduct by Thomas.

“The investigations will be made under the Section 124(1) and Section 203A of the Penal Code; Section 4 of the Sedition Act 1948; Section 8 of the Official Secrets Act 1972; and Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009,” said Ismail Sabri.

Early last year, Thomas’ book came under fire, including from the Attorney General’s Chambers, lawyers, politicians and the public for allegedly containing elements of incitement, insult and slander.

Thomas was appointed AG under the Pakatan Harapan government in 2018 but resigned in 2020 after the Sheraton Move that toppled the government.

More than 100 police reports were lodged against him.

The special task force team includes former Sabah state secretary Datuk Hashim Paijan and former secretary-general of the women, family and community development ministry, Datuk Dr Junaidah Kamaruddin, who is also former director-general of the legal affairs division.

Other members of the team are former judge and former senior federal counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh Bant Singh, lawyers Datuk Shaharudin Ali and Balaguru Karupiah, as well as representatives from the Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre and the Chief Government Security Office.

When contacted, Thomas declined to comment.

Former attorney general Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali, however, applauded the decision.

Apandi is among those who had lodged reports against Thomas, claiming the latter had committed criminal defamation.

“It is high time for such investigations to be done,” he said.

DAP national chairman and finance minister under the Pakatan Harapan government, Lim Guan Eng, said the action just before the general election was “politically motivated”.

“It sets a precedent for investigating an AG over prosecutorial misconduct. Then, other AGs must also be investigated,” he said, pointing to Apandi.

“Apandi should be investigated for representing fugitive Jho Low then,” said Lim, who is MP for Bagan.

On July 16, Apandi admitted to arranging a series of meetings between representatives from the law firm representing fugitive financier Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, and current AG Tan Sri Idrus Harun.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/10/01/thomas-in-sedition-probe