Tuduhan ubah wang haram jejas reputasi, bebankan keluarga, kata Shahrir

Former Johor Bahru MP Shahrir Samad was acquitted and released from charges of money laundering on January 5, 2023, after the prosecution withdrew its case against him. (Picture: Bernama) Speaking before the Federal Court today, Shahrir expressed that the money laundering allegations he faced severely tarnished his reputation and caused emotional stress to his family, especially during his critical period of caring for his critically ill daughter.

He reiterated that the public perception of him as an untrustworthy individual resulted from the media reporting his name and image alongside the money laundering charges. As a political figure, he has encountered criticism before, but he claims that the criticism was due to his differing political views, not the allegation of money laundering.

In his statement, Shahrir mentioned that his wife and daughter had to read and hear the accusations against him, despite their continued support. He acknowledged that they also endured the pressure and embarrassment. The RM10 million lawsuit filed by Shahrir against former Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, former Chief Commissioner of Malaysia's Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) Latheefa Koya, and the government for defamation and misconduct in public office, was intended for his sole son who was battling stage four cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

Several dates of the criminal trial had to be rescheduled due to his son's medical condition. One hearing had to be moved due to his son's treatment schedule. Shahrir hoped for a timely resolution of the criminal proceedings before his son's passing. He expressed his desire for his son to know the outcome of the criminal charges against him.

Upon his acquittal and release on January 5, 2023, a portion of RM200,000 from his bank account, frozen since 18 March 2020, was returned to him following the cancellation of the injunction and the return of the funds on May 23, 2023. Additionally, a car seized from him was returned on May 12, 2023, preventing him and his wife from using the vehicle for over three years.

Shahrir emphasized that his lawsuit was not an act of revenge but was necessary due to the extensive powers of investigation, seizure of assets, arrest, and prosecution, which are only to be used after a thorough investigation. He noted that Thomas was named as the defendant due to his position as the Attorney-General at the time and his signature on the declaration of guilt.

Latheefa was named as the complainant because she headed the CPIB investigation at the time. Thomas also stated in his defense that he had received training, reviewed the investigation report, and decided to proceed with the charges. However, he clarified that not all defendants played the same role, and urged the court to assess the actions and knowledge of each defendant separately.

The issue before the Federal Court was whether Shahrir was charged after a fair and thorough investigation. Shahrir's lawsuit originated from a check for RM1 million received from former Prime Minister Najib Razak for the renovation of Puri Langkasuka housing project in Johor. He had previously been charged with failing to declare the RM1 million to the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRBM), leading to the money laundering charge.

However, the Federal Court dismissed this charge after the prosecution withdrew its case. Thomas, who served as the Attorney-General from June 4, 2018, to February 28, 2020, denied the allegations, including the accusations of misconduct in public office. He also asserted that he resigned from his position on February 28, 2020, while Shahrir's criminal proceedings began on July 26, 2022.

Senior public prosecutor Zureen Elina Don, Liew Horng Bin, and Siti Syakimah Ibrahim represented Latheefa, the CPIB, and the government, while Alan Adrian Gomez and Haikaldin Mahyidin acted on behalf of Thomas. Shahrir was represented by Firoz Hussein, Ahmad Jamaluddin, Syed Faisal Al-Edros Syed Abdullah, and Syahrul Syazwan Salehin. The trial before Judge Gan Techiong was adjourned until September 4.