High Court orders ZICO to give documents to Zaid Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today granted former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim’s application to obtain documents from legal firm Zaid Ibrahim Co (ZICO) for his civil action against the law firm partners.

Mohd Zaid's counsel Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar said the decision was delivered by Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir via Zoom application.

The lawyer said the court allowed his client's application for pre-action discovery with RM3,000 in costs.

"The court said that the legal conditions were satisfied. Therefore, the court ordered ZICO to hand over the documents in seven days from today.

"However, former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas who was acting for the defendants sought a stay order against the discovery of documents pending an appeal by the law firm.

"Thomas's application was granted on condition that a formal application be filed by May 19," he said via a WhatsApp message.

The defendants are the firm's executive chairman Datuk Seri Nik Norzrul Thani Nik Hassan Thani, its former managing partner Chew Seng Kok and ZICO.

On April 20 this year, ZICO objected to the discovery application by Mohd Zaid for seeking documents from the law firm, saying he was not entitled to these documents.

In December last year, Mohd Zaid filed the discovery application to obtain the documents from Nik Norzrul Thani, Chew and the firm relating to his suit against ZICO.

On Nov 24 last year, Mohd Zaid filed the writ of summons and statement of claim against ZICO to stop the firm from using his name in legal practice and to demand the return of the firm's name.

-- BERNAMA