Instead of asking how much Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah was paid to lead the prosecution in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy II case and for the former's 'road show' on the court findings, the question asked should be, if the government can employ private lawyers for such cases.

This was the response of former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang's statement which had questioned Muhammad Shafee's income for the work he is doing for the government.

"There's no need to question how much he's being paid. When you are a lawyer, you don't disclose your fees just like that.

"By the way, it must be paid by UMNO. Unless he did it for free.

"What should be asked instead is, whether the government can employ private lawyers for such cases," Zaid told Astro AWANI today.

Lim had said that while Muhammad Shafee had won in the courts in the judiciary, he had lost in two other courts – the court of public opinion in Malaysia and the international court of public opinion.

"As Malaysian taxpayers are paying Muhammad Shafee for his role as lead prosecutor in Anwar's sodomy II case at both the Court of Appeal and Federal Court, they are entitled to know how much Muhammad Shafee is costing them to put Anwar in jail for the fourth time in his 47-year public career fighting for justice, freedom, human dignity and good governance in Malaysia.

"Are the services of Muhammad Shafee as lead prosecutor in Anwar's case equivalent to the remuneration of the Attorney-General for a whole year? And if so, the question arises as to why Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail is not conducting the prosecution himself but 'privatise' it to Muhammad Shafee instead?

"Furthermore, Malaysian taxpayers are also entitled to know whether they are also paying for Muhammad Shafee's nationwide UMNO roadshow to justify the Federal Court’s decision against Anwar, as well as to take the opportunity to carry out a vicious and vengeful campaign against Anwar, and if so, the exact full amounts or fees or whether he is rendering his services to UMNO pro bono," Lim said in a statement earlier today.

The Gelang Patah MP also asked if Muhammad Shafee is a public prosecutor or acting as an UMNO prosecutor following the roadshow.