KUALA LUMPUR: The terms of settlement of the civil suit by former attorney general Tan Sri Apandi Ali against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the government are classified as confidential under the Official Secrets Act, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
“The civil suit was settled outside of court without any acknowledgement of liability,” said Azalina, who is the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform).
“While settlement negotiations are ongoing, the plaintiff who was represented by Tetuan Shukor Baljit and Partners, and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) agreed that terms of settlement were kept confidential and not publicly disclosed.
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“In line with the agreement, all communication in regards with the negotiations and agreed settlement terms were classified as secret according to the provisions of the Official Secrets Act,” she added in a Parliamentary written reply Feb 14.
Azalina was responding to M. Kulasegaran (PH-Ipoh Barat), who asked the government to reveal the terms of settlement in the civil suit filed by Apandi.
The settlement by Apandi with the government was recorded before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Akhtar Tahir on April 13.
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In September 2020, Apandi filed the suit and he was seeking a declaration that the termination of his services as AG in 2018 by then premier Dr Mahathir was unlawful.
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Azalina Othman Said, Parliament, Written reply, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Apandi Ali, Government, Malaysia, Legal suit, Civil suit, OSA, Settlement
