Najib must explain Shafee's secret mission abroad...

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak must divulge the purpose of engaging senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to embark on a "confidential" assignment overseas, said the PKR lawmaker who had revealed the matter.

"(He) has appointed a lawyer to go to places to do something. Now this is now a matter of public interest because the lawyer claims that he has been appointed by the government,  in particular Najib and (his wife) Rosmah (Mansor),” said Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution.

"Why appoint a private lawyer when the government has the Attorney-General's Chambers at its disposal? If Shafee is under the government's instructions, then public funds are being used for his travels.”

He told reporters in the Parliament lobby today that, with news of the confidential mission disclosed, it is only right that Najib should come clean on the purpose of Shafee’s visits to New York, London, Dubai and Paris.

Yesterday, Saifuddin had revealed a letter from Shafee (left) addressed to Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria, Court of Appeal president Md Raus Sharif and Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, applying for them to postpone all his cases scheduled from April 2-25.

In the letter dated March 23, Shafee had said that he is "to undertake a sensitive legal assignment overseas that must be completed before the general election".

This, he said, would entail travel to three cities - New York, London and Dubai, and possibly Paris - for a span of at least three weeks.

“And over this course of time (I) would be involved in intensive legal preparations such as negotiating with parties and their witnesses, drafting claims and affidavits and interviewing witnesses who are in New York, London, Paris or Basel (Switzerland)," reads the letter.

 Said Saifuddin: “The secret mission has raised so many questions. Moreover, Shafee has requested for a blanket postponement.”
 
‘Intensive legal preparation’

According to the letter, Shafee will be occupied in “intensive legal preparation” which involves negotiating with parties and witnesses, drafting claims and affidavits and interviewing witnesses, in the metropolitan cities.

As the matter concerned is confidential, Shafee said he could only “explain the nature of the legal assignment” upon a private meeting.

Apologising for requesting the postponement, Shafee reasoned that the circumstances were such that the appeals and hearing fixed required him to be present personally to be sorted out.

“So that (I) can travel to undertake this governmental assignment without any worry over the cases being unattended to,” he has stated.

Attached with the two-page letter is an appendix detailing the 33 cases scheduled to be heard from April 2 to 25.

Saifuddin pointed out that it is not just the integrity of the lawyer and the prime  minister which is at stake but also the judiciary.

PKR Subang MP R Sivarasa, who was also present, said he had double checked the authenticity of the letter with Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee, as one of the cases involving the Bar and Shafee on April 13 was also postponed.

“I would like to ask the government, specifically to Nazri, what action they propose to take when a lawyer writes to the Chief Justice, to the President of the Court of Appeal and the Chief Judge of Malaya saying that he is appointed by the government of Malaysia,” Sivarasa said.

“When Nazri was asked the question yesterday, he said he has no knowledge and that it might have been a personal appointment by Najib and Rosmah. Fine, we accept it, but what is the government going to do about the lawyer?” he said.

Sivarasa also asked the government to come clean on the case - whether it was a criminal or civil matter - that Najib and Rosmah were involved in.

‘Are we talking about the Scorpene case?’

Selayang parliamentarian William Leong noted the possibility of the “mission” being linked to French investigations into alleged corruption in the purchase of two Scorpene submarines by Malaysia, which may also cast more light on the murder six years ago of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

“We want the prime minister to come out and confirm what’s this case about, are we talking about the Scorpene case in Paris?” asked Leong.

Sivarasa, who is a practising lawyer, said that Shafee’s claim of representing the government could be “professional misconduct”.

However, as the aggrieved party, it was up to the government to act on Shafee, explained Sivarasa.

“If the prime minister has sent Shafee on a confidential mission, he should quietly do his job, not tell the whole world,” he jibed.- malaysiakini
 

PKR asks if PM sent lawyer to Paris over Scorpene hearing

 

Najib patut jelaskan misi sulit Shafee di luar negara...

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak mesti menjelaskan tujuan menggunakan peguam kanan Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah bagi tugasan "sulit" di luar negara seperti didakwa, kata PKR.

Setiausaha agungnya Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah yang membuat dakwaan itu semalam berkata, penjelasan itu mesti diberikan kerana ia melibatkan kepentingan awam ekoran dakwaan Muhammad Shafee dilantik oleh kerajaan.

Saifuddin yang juga anggota parlimen Machang juga mempersoalkan kenapa Muhammad Shafee itu mesti dilantik sedangkan kerajaan sudah mempunyai Jabatan Peguam Negara.

Semalam, Muhammad didakwa dilantik oleh perdana menteri dan isterinya Rosmah Mansor untuk tugasan sulit di luar negara daripada 2 hingga 25 April.

Dalam satu surat bertarikh 23 Mac, beliau dikatakan memohon kepada ketua hakim negara, presiden Mahkamah Rayuan dan hakim besar Malaya - dengan salinan kepada Najib dan Rosmah - supaya semua kesnya antara tarikh itu dikosongkan.

Sebahagian kandungan surat itu didedahkan di Dewan Rakyat oleh Datuk Saifuddin Nasution (PKR-Machang) semasa membahaskan Rang Undang-undang Kanun Keseksaan (Pindaan) 2012 semalam.- malaysiakini

Misteri tugasan luar negara peguam UMNO Shafee...

Peguam terkemuka Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah didakwa dilantik oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan isterinya Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor untuk tugasan sulit di luar negara daripada 2 hingga 25 April.

Dalam satu surat bertarikh 23 Mac, beliau dikatakan memohon kepada ketua hakim negara, presiden Mahkamah Rayuan dan hakim besar Malaya – dengan salinan kepada Najib dan Rosmah – supaya semua kesnya antara tarikh itu dikosongkan.

Sebahagian kandungan surat itu didedahkan di Dewan Rakyat oleh Datuk Saifuddin Nasution (PKR-Machang) semasa membahaskan Rang Undang-undang Kanun Keseksaan 2012 semalam.

Saifuddin ketika membacakan surat itu mendakwa, Shafee dilantik bagi pihak kerajaan Malaysia, terutamanya Najib dan isteri, untuk menjalankan tugas perundangan sensitif di luar negara yang mesti diselesaikan sebelum pilihan raya umum.

Shafee juga akan menjelajah tiga negara – New York, London dan Dubai – dan kemungkinan juga Paris dan akan terlibat dalam persediaan perundangan intensif, seperti berunding dengan pelbagai pihak serta saksi mereka, dakwa Saifuddin lagi.

Selain itu Shafee juga akan ditugaskan untuk merangka tuntutan dan afidavit serta dan mewawancara saksi yang berada di New York, London, Paris dan Basel (Switzerland), dakwanya.

Tugasan Shafee itu didakwa mempunyai kaitan dengan siasatan oleh kerajaan Perancis terhadap dakwaan rasuah dalam pembelian kapal selam Scorpene oleh kerajaan Malaysia, yang sekali gus dijangka menyentuh kes pembunuhan penterjemah Mongolia  Altantuya Sharibuu, enam tahun lalu.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri  Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz dalam reaksi segera berkata beliau tidak dapat mengulas isu isu sehingga kesahihan surat yang didedahkan disahkan terlebih dahulu.- malaysiakini

Najib Altantuya Usah Gusar, Pakatan Rakyat Tolong Siapkan Filem Altantuya!

cheers.