KUALA LUMPUR: Political secretary to the Prime Minister Muhammad Zahid Md Arip has withdrawn his appeal against a High Court’s decision dismissing his judicial review to declassify the Auditor-General’s (AG) report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Zahid’s lawyer, Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla said the matter had become academic since the new government had on May 15, released the 1MDB audit report which was previously classified and protected under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) since 2016.
“Zahid has taken the step to withdraw the appeal as the matter has become academic,” he said via a Whatsapp message sent to reporters.
Haniff said the authorities had taken the necessary actions against certain individuals in relation to the report.
He said the withdrawal of the appeal was made with no costs at Court of Appeal today before a three-man bench comprising Datuk Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid, Datuk Zaleha Yusof and Datuk Yaacob Md Sam.
Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan acted for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, then AG Tan Sri Ambrin Buang and the government who were named as respondents in the judicial review application.
On Jan 11, last year, the High Court granted Zahid leave to proceed with his judicial review seeking to declassify the audit report on 1MDB.
Zahid who was former ‘Tolak Individu Bernama Anwar Ibrahim’ (a former non-governmental organisation) or TIBAI spiritual leader filed the legal bid on Aug 5, 2016, to make the 1MDB final report publicly accessible.
He had sought for a declaration that the decision to classify the report as an official secret was unconstitutional.
He further contended that the classification by Ambrin of the 1MDB Report as “official secret” was unlawful and ultra vires the Federal Constitution, the OSA and the Audit Act 1957.
In his application, Zahid had sought for an order to compel the respondents to hand over the final audit report on 1MDB to the relevant parties in accordance with the Federal Constitution.
Former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali Azmin had also filed a similar application against the same respondents on Aug 15, 2016.
In his application, Azmin who is Economic Affairs Minister also contended that there was a conflict of interest on Najib’s part due to the latter’s role at as 1MDB adviser at that time.