SRC International: The Delivery of Delayed Justice

The University Of Malaya Student’s Union - Faculty Of Law (UMSU Law Faculty) would like to refer to the final decision made by the Federal Court that upheld the verdict and sentence of former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRC) funds. On July 28 2020, the High Court held him guilty in the 1MDB-linked case on all seven charges, which constituted one count of abuse of power pertaining to the RM4 billion loan granted by Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) to SRC and three counts each of criminal breach of trust and money laundering regarding the RM42 million belonged to SRC. He was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment and fined RM210 million. The Court of Appeal upheld the decision on December 8 last year before the case was brought to the Federal Court for final appeal last week.  

Since the first day of the hearing, several so-called ‘tactics’ were done by Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his legal team. These tactics included the motion of adducing new evidence which involved 5 witnesses and regarding the discovery of Datuk Mohd Nazlan, the trial judge (as he then was), as the former General Counsel and Company Secretary for Maybank Group during which the bank granted RM4.17 billion loan to 1MDB, which SRC was once a subsidiary to. The motion, together with the lead counsel, Tuan Haji Hisyam’s request for adjournment of the hearing was declined by the apex court judges the next day. The moves continued with Tuan Haji Hisyam discharging himself as the lead counsel and Datuk Seri Najib Razak discharging his solicitors from representing him. On the last day of the hearing, he filed a bid to recuse Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat from hearing the appeal on the grounds of Her Ladyship being influenced by her spouse who had made negative comments towards Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s leadership. 

We are pleased to note that none of these moves that could have led to postponement of the hearing were entertained by the court. However simple the rejections seemed, we believe those were righteous decisions made by the Federal Court which progressed us another step closer to achieving and upholding judicial independence. It is our hope that there would be more warm sun rays like this that help thaw the judicial winter our nation once faced. 

UMSU Law Faculty would like to urge the Attorney General’s Chamber to prosecute those involved in corruption alongside the assistance from other relevant authorities such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Royal Malaysia Police. We also condemn the delay tactics which were attempted by Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s legal team and urge the Malaysian Bar to take stern action towards the defence counsels who attempted to use those tactics which made a mockery of our Judicial System. We hope this case too serves as a reminder to legal practitioners in Malaysia to abide by the Legal Profession (Practice and Etiquette) Rules 1978. 


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University Of Malaya Student’s Union - Faculty Of Law
August 2022

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KENYATAAN MEDIA
SRC International : Keadilan Yang Tertunda

​Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya - Fakulti Undang-Undang (KMUM FUU) ingin merujuk kepada keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan yang telah mengekalkan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi yang menyabitkan mantan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak bagi kesalahan penyelewengan dana berjumlah RM42 juta milik SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRC). Datuk Seri Najib Razak telah didapati bersalah oleh Mahkamah Tinggi bagi kesemua 7 pertuduhan yang terdiri daripada 1 tuduhan salah guna kuasa berkenaan pinjaman berjumlah RM4 billion yang diberikan Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP) kepada SRC, tiga tuduhan pecah amanah jenayah serta tiga tuduhan pengubahan wang haram berkenaan RM42 juta milik SRC. Beliau dijatuhkan hukuman penjara 12 tahun dan didenda sebanyak RM210 juta. Pada 8 Disember tahun lepas, Mahkamah Rayuan mengekalkan hukuman tersebut dan kes ini dibawa ke Mahkamah Persekutuan bagi rayuan terakhir pada minggu lepas.

Sejak hari pertama perbicaraan, pelbagai ‘taktik’ telah dilakukan oleh Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan barisan peguamnya. Taktik ini termasuklah satu usul untuk memasukkan bukti baharu yang melibatkan 5 orang saksi serta penemuan baharu berkenaan Datuk Mohd Nazlan, hakim perbicaraan (ketika itu) sebagai mantan Kaunsel dan Setiausaha Syarikat Kumpulan Maybank yang telah memberikan pinjaman sebanyak RM4.17 bilion kepada 1MDB yang pernah menjadi syarikat induk SRC. Pada hari berikutnya, usul tersebut serta permintaan Tuan Haji Hasyim untuk menangguhkan perbicaraan telah ditolak oleh mahkamah. Taktik ini berlanjutan apabila Tuan Haji Hisyam menarik diri daripada barisan peguam manakala Datuk Seri Najib Razak pula bertindak untuk melepaskan peguamnya daripada mewakili beliau. Pada hari terakhir perbicaraan, beliau juga bertindak untuk memfailkan usul untuk melucutkan kelayakan Ketua Hakim Negara, Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat daripada mendengar rayuan ini atas alasan bahawa Yang Amat Arif dipengaruhi oleh suaminya yang pernah menulis komen negatif terhadap kepimpinan Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Kami berbesar hati bahawa tiada satu pun taktik yang boleh menangguhkan perbicaraan ini diendahkan oleh mahkamah. Walaupun penolakan taktik ini kelihatan remeh, namun kami percaya bahawa ia merupakan keputusan tepat oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan yang membolehkan negara ini mencapai kebebasan Badan Kehakiman. Kami berharap lebih banyak keputusan sebegini wujud agar persepsi negatif terhadap kebebasan Badan Kehakiman negara ini berkurangan.

KMUM FUU ingin menggesa Jabatan Peguam Negara untuk mendakwa mereka yang terpalit dalam kes rasuah dengan bantuan pihak berkuasa seperti Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia dan Polis Diraja Malaysia. Kami juga ingin mengutuk taktik penangguhan yang dilakukan oleh barisan peguam Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan kami menggesa Badan Peguam Malaysia untuk mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap peguam tersebut yang menggunakan taktik yang menjatuhkan maruah sistem kehakiman negara ini. Kami juga berharap agar kes ini dijadikan peringatan kepada kesemua pengamal undang-undang di Malaysia untuk mematuhi Peraturan Majlis Peguam dan Kaedah Profesion Undang-Undang (Praktis dan Etika) 1978.



Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya - Fakulti Undang-Undang
Ogos 2022


​References :
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2022/08/19/najibs-src-international-appeal-a-quick-timeline/
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2022/08/23/at-11th-hour-najib-files-bid-to-recuse-cj-tengku-maimun-from-presiding-over-final-src-international-appeal/24223
https://www.malaysianbar.org.my/article/news/press-statements/press-statements/press-release-abuse-of-process-brings-disrepute-to-our-justice-system
https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2022/08/824958/najib-loses-appeal-headed-prison-nsttv