Latest news with #IshamJalil
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Punish Isham with jail, fine for attacks on judges, court told
Ex-Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil faces contempt of court proceedings over comments about the judiciary made during an interview published on Facebook on Sept 30, 2023. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : The prosecution has called for former Umno Supreme Council member Isham Jalil to be punished severely for his comments on judges in ex-prime minister Najib Razak's various 1MDB-related cases, saying the statements he made were unfair and scandalous. Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Mustaffa P Kunyalam told the High Court that the contents of Isham's interview – published on social media on Sept 30, 2023 – risked undermining public confidence in the administration of justice. 'We want this court to impose a fine or jail (sentence) or both, as the contemnor (Isham) has failed to purge the contempt,' he said in submissions before Justice K Muniandy. Last year, the attorney-general rejected representations lodged on Isham's behalf seeking that he be allowed to offer an unreserved apology in exchange for the proceedings coming to an end. Mustaffa, who was assisted by DPP T Deepa Nair, said Isham had launched scurrilous attacks on trial judges Nazlan Ghazali, Collin Lawrence Sequerah and a Federal Court bench chaired by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat. 'The actions mentioned above constitute interference in the administration of justice,' he added. Filed on Dec 28, 2023, the application concerned statements Isham allegedly made during an interview titled 'Townhall for justice: Keadilan sebenarnya untuk siapa? (Who is justice for?)'. The interview was published on Facebook on Sept 30, 2023 via an account known as Malaya Post. In an affidavit filed in support of the leave application, Mustaffa claimed Isham had during the interview commented on Najib's 1MDB and SRC International trials, and the Federal Court's conduct of the final appeal in the latter case. Isham is also alleged to have accused Sequerah and Nazlan, who presided over the 1MDB and SRC International trials, respectively, of bias. He allegedly said the judges ought to have withdrawn from hearing the cases. Both judges now sit in the Court of Appeal. According to Mustaffa, Isham also claimed that the five apex court judges, led by Tengku Maimun, who heard Najib's final appeal in the SRC International case, had judged the case unfairly. Lawyer Azhar Azizan Harun, appearing for Isham, said the prosecution had failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt as there was a material contradiction between the attorney-general's affidavit and statements made by a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer and a court deputy registrar. He said the dignity of judges no longer needs protection, unlike in medieval England when judges were representatives of the king. 'In the present democratic system, the people are the king,' he said, adding that the offence of scandalising the court is to protect against interference in the administration of justice. He said in the modern UK, no contempt proceedings were initiated even when the media had criticised judges. Azhar, who was assisted by Jamie Wong, said Isham's action did not create chaos in society. 'The people did not demonstrate to express they were unhappy with the SRC verdict, nor did anyone throw shoes at judges,' he said, adding that the judges had to be resilient in accepting criticism from public-spirited individuals. 'We now live in a social media age where everyone wants to be a star of their own show. Gone are the days when one had to be invited by RTM for an interview,' he added. Azhar said what Isham had uttered outside the courtroom was a repeat of what lawyers for Najib had said in court, albeit in temperate language. He said Malaysia should adopt the UK's approach of finding that contempt is no longer a species of scandalising the court. 'Freedom of speech as guaranteed under the Federal Constitution should be given priority,' he added. Muniandy will deliver his ruling on July 1.
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Court sets July 1 to decide on committal bid against Isham Jalil for contempt
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno supreme council member Isham Jalil's remarks on Datuk Seri Najib Razak's trial and appeal posed a genuine risk of undermining public confidence in the administration of justice, the High Court here heard. DPP Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam submitted Friday (May 30) that Isham ( pic) had brought the judiciary into disrepute with statements that questioned the conduct and decisions of both the Federal Court and High Court concerning the SRC International Sdn Bhd and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) cases involving Najib. ALSO READ: Isham Jalil offers apology to judiciary, seeks to end contempt proceedings against him He said the conduct of Isham, whose full name is Hizatul Isham Abdul Jalil, amounted to interference in the due administration of justice and constituted a serious contempt of court. As such, he submitted, it warranted either a fine or custodial sentence. "The contemnor's averments that his statement during the town hall session was a fair and genuine criticism towards the judiciary are clearly against the evidence stacked against him," he said during proceedings before Justice K. Muniandy. Isham purportedly made the comments during an interview titled Townhall for Justice: Keadilan Sebenarnya Untuk Siapa, on Sept 30, 2023, which was posted on The Malaya Post's Facebook page the same day. Isham's counsel, Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun, contended that the prosecution had failed to establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt. ALSO READ: Oct 14 set for hearing of Isham Jalil's contempt of court case The court fixed July 1 for its decision on the Attorney General's (AG) application to initiate committal proceedings against Isham. On March 4 last year, the court granted the AG's application for leave to commence the committal proceedings. In an ex parte application filed on Dec 28, 2023, the AG sought an order for Isham to be fined or committed to prison. The AG claimed that during the interview, Isham had challenged the recusal process involving Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who is presiding over the 1MDB trial at the High Court. The AG further asserted that Isham's remarks had tarnished the reputation of the judiciary and could potentially erode public confidence. – Bernama
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Isham Jalil awaits July 1 contempt ruling over judiciary remarks on Najib's SRC, 1MDB trials
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Former Umno information chief Isham Jalil will know on July 1 whether he will be held in contempt of court over remarks allegedly undermining public confidence in the judiciary. High Court judge K. Muniandy fixed the date after hearing submissions in the committal proceedings filed by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), according to New Straits Times. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam argued, 'The respondent has tarnished the judiciary's reputation when he questioned the actions and decision of the Federal Court and the High Court involving both 1MDB and SRC International criminal cases.' He said Isham's comments posed a real risk of eroding public trust in the justice system. Isham's lawyer Tan Sri Azizan Harun contended that the statements were not made with the intent to bring the court into disrepute. Azizan also said the AGC failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that his client's actions amounted to contempt. He added that the grounds raised during the hearing differed from those stated during the initial application, leaving Isham unclear on how to mount a proper defence. 'The courts must be strong enough to withstand criticism and should not overreact, especially in today's social media era where everyone is free to express their opinions,' Azizan said. He questioned why Isham could not express views similar to those raised by Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lawyers during court proceedings. The AGC filed the application on December 28, 2023, based on Isham's remarks in an interview titled 'Townhall For Justice: Keadilan Sebenarnya Untuk Siapa? (Who is Justice Really For?)' The interview, which included criticism of Najib's corruption trial and appeal related to 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd, was posted on the Facebook page of The Malaya Post on September 30, 2023.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Isham Jalil to know contempt of court ruling on July 1
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno information chief Isham Jalil will know on July 1 whether he will be held in contempt of court over remarks allegedly undermining public confidence in the judiciary. Judge K. Muniandy fixed the date after hearing lengthy submissions from both parties in committal proceedings initiated by the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) against Isham today. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam who appeared for the A-GC submitted that Isham's statements posed a real risk of undermining public confidence in the administration of justice. "The respondent has tarnished the judiciary's reputation when he questioned the actions and decision of the Federal Court and the High Court involving both 1MDB and SRC International criminal cases," he said. Meanwhile, Isham's lawyer Tan Sri Azizan Harun argued that the statements were never intended to bring the court into disrepute and that the A-GC failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that his client's actions amounted to contempt of court. Azizan, who is also the former Dewan Rakyat speaker, said the grounds raised during the committal hearing were different from those presented when applying for leave to start the proceedings. This, he said, left his client unsure of how to prepare a proper defence. He said the courts must be strong enough to withstand criticism and should not overreact, especially in today's social media era where everyone is free to express their opinions. He argued that some of the points Isham raised had been brought up by Najib's own lawyers in court, questioning why his client could not express similar views outside the courtroom. The application was filed on Dec 28, 2023, following Isham's remarks in an interview titled "Townhall For Justice: Keadilan Sebenarnya Untuk Siapa?" (Justice: Who Is It Really For?). In his remarks, Isham had criticised the corruption trial and appeal involving his former boss, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and SRC International Sdn Bhd cases. The recorded interview, which discussed the trial and appeal proceedings in the SRC and 1MDB cases, was posted on the Facebook page of "The Malaya Post" on Sept 30, 2023.
