Khairuddin and Chang to initiate contempt proceedings against AG

Former Batu Kawan UMNO division vice chief Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan and lawyer Matthias Chang Wen Chieh will initiate contempt of court proceedings against Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.

Their lawyer Mohamed Hanif Khatri Abdulla informed High Court Judge Datuk Mohd Azman Husin today that his clients instructed him to do so in due course after Mohamed Apandi, on Oct 13, held a press conference on the two being charged with attempting to sabotage Malaysia's banking and financial services.

Mohamed Hanif said his clients filed a motion in relation to the charges on Oct 13 at 10.30 am. The AG held the press conference at 2.30 pm the same day, explaining the charges.

"It is the complaint of the applicants (Khairuddin and Chang) that the contents of the press conference were matters which were subjudice before this honourable court," he told the court before the start of the hearing of the motion.

He said there was, therefore, a real and substantial danger of prejudice to the determination of his clients' motion.

At the press conference at the Attorney-General's Chambers, Mohamed Apandi had clarified on the provisions of law applied in the case of Khairuddin and Chang.

He said they were charged under the Penal Code and not the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA).

Khairuddin, 53, and Chang, 65, were charged under Section 124L of the Penal Code (Act 547) read with Section 34 of the same Code, which carries a jail term of up to 15 years upon conviction.

The allegedly committed the offence at five locations between June 28 and Aug 26, this year.

The locations are the office of the France Economic and Financial Crimes Division chief in Paris; Charing Cross Police station, London, United Kingdom; office of the Switzerland Attorney General in Bern; WaiChan Police station, Hong Kong and Cantonment Police Headquarters, Singapore.