Tommy Thomas files legal action to challenge Special Task Force's report on his memoir

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas has filed a legal action to challenge a report by the Special Task Force that investigated the contents of his memoir 'My Story: Justice In the Wilderness'.

Thomas as the plaintiff filed an originating summons through his firm today and named the task force chairman Datuk Seri Fong Joo Chung, who is the former Sarawak State Attorney-General and Legal Adviser as the first defendant.

Members of the task force, namely former Sabah State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Hashim Paijan; former secretary-general of Women, Family and Community Development Ministry Datuk Dr Junaidah Kamaruddin who is also former director-general of the Legal Affairs Division; former judge and senior federal counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh Bant Singh; lawyers Datuk Shaharudin Ali and K. Balaguru, as well as government representatives Farah Adura Hamidi and Mohd Najib Surip; and the Government of Malaysia, were also named as the second to ninth defendants.

In his suit, Thomas seeks a declaration that the purported report produced by the first to the eighth defendants is an illegal document and violates Sections 499 and 500 of the Penal Code and/or Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

He also seeks a declaration that the publication of the said report by the ninth defendant is violative of the plaintiff's right to a reputation protected by Articles 5(1) and/or 13(1) of the Federal Constitution.

Meanwhile, in his affidavit of support, Thomas alleged that the report was published with the intention to harm his reputation, contained false and baseless allegations and was published with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass him.

Lawyer Mervyn Lai, a member of Thomas's legal team, when contacted said the lawsuit had been served to the Attorney-General's Chambers this afternoon.

-- BERNAMA