KUALA LUMPUR: The government has agreed to a proposal to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to probe the allegations in former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas' controversial memoir.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, in a statement, said the decision was made following recommendations made by the special task force investigating Thomas' memoir "My Story: Justice in The Wilderness".
She said the RCI would focus on finding recommendations to reform the country's legal institution and not to find fault with any particular party.
"The RCI's terms of commission will have a wider scope and will not be not limited to the recommendations made by the special task force.
"The government takes these allegations very seriously as it involves misconduct by top officers.
"Transparency and accountability are the basis of people's trust in the administration of justice and government institutions," she said.
The special task force led by Datuk Seri Fong Joo Chung identified 19 issues, which had been narrowed down to four main ones.
The four issues were allegations levelled against the judiciary; exposing of government secrets; abuse of power and professional negligence; and, seditious statements.
Meanwhile, Thomas, on Oct 27, had filed a lawsuit against the special task force claiming that its establishment was illegal and ultra vires.
He had said all purported actions, investigations, and action or steps taken by the defendants were unsupported by any written law and were therefore illegal and void.
Thomas had also said an RCI which was provided for under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1950, by appointment of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, could enquire into the conduct of any federal officer such as himself, and thereafter provide a report on the investigation.
He had claimed the illegal special task force had no power to require, direct, or recommend the public prosecutor or investigating agencies to investigate 'possible offences'.
He said he refused to cooperate with the investigation as it could set a dangerous precedent putting at risk the independence of the attorney-general's office.