PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak says former attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas should be prevented from leaving the country pending the resolution of the Sulu sultanate’s heirs’ claims against the government.
Najib said the letter Thomas sent to the lawyers representing the Sulu sultan’s heirs in 2019 had put Malaysia’s assets at risk of seizure.
He was referring to the letter in which Thomas expressed regret that Malaysia had not paid the claimants since 2013 after the Lahad Datu intrusion. According to the letter, Thomas offered to settle the multi-billion dollar claim with an RM48,000 compensation payment.
“As the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-era Cabinet members have kept mum on the Sulu sultan’s heirs’ claims and Thomas’ letter, it’s only fair for the government to take precautionary measures to stop Thomas from leaving the country until the truth can be uncovered,” he said on Facebook.
He added that he would not object if the government also decided to prevent former ministers from the PH administration from leaving the country.
Najib was commenting on the press conference held by Sepanggar MP Azis Jamman and Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah in Parliament on Monday.
The Warisan duo claimed they never knew about the existence of Thomas’ letter and whether it was approved by the government.
Recently, bailiffs seized Petronas’ two Luxembourg-registered subsidiaries, on behalf of the Sulu sultan’s heirs.
Subsequently, the government said it had obtained a stay order against the enforcement of the French arbitration court ruling that ordered the government to pay US$14.92 billion to the heirs of the Sulu sultanate.