Tun M asks why Apandi's settlement classified as secret

SHAH ALAM - Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is questioning the government’s decision to classify the terms of settlement of a civil suit against him by Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali over the termination of the latter’s contract as the Attorney-General (AG).

He said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said's action was confusing, describing that Apandi did not deserve to get the compensation.

“I was confused with the minister’s (Azalina) decision for classifying the terms of the settlement as secret. Apandi (who was also) the former AG during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s government had made his claims openly.

“He even specified the amount of RM2,233,599.36, yet the compensation made by the government was a secret. Why?.

“I have a reason to know why because I don’t think he deserves the compensation at all,” he said in a Facebook post, today.

On Wednesday, Azalina said the terms of settlement in Apandi's civil suit against Dr Mahathir and the government over the termination of his contract as AG was classified as secret under the Official Secrets Act 1972.

She said the civil case has been settled out of court with the government’s approval without any admission of liability.

On April 13, 2022, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed the suit after the government agreed to settle the case without admission of liability and the terms of the settlement was not disclosed.

Apandi filed the suit on Oct 13, 2020, naming Dr Mahathir and the government as first and second defendants seeking among others a declaration that the termination of his contract as AG made by the former prime minister in 2018 was invalid.

Apandi who was a former Federal Court judge before being appointed as AG in 2015, had sought for RM2,233,599.36 in special, general and exemplary damages as well as costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.