DAP lawyers ready to defend whistleblower Lalitha

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 – The legal team of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) has offered to defend Lalitha Kunaratnam following a report that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki has initiated a defamation suit against her in relation to allegations that he owned shares in two public listed companies.

In a statement here today, Member of Parliament for Kepong Lim Lip Eng said the legal team was ready to offer its services to Lalitha on a pro bono basis to defend her case in the court.

On Friday, local media reported that Azam Baki had initiated legal proceedings against Lalitha, who first blew the whistle on Azam by publishing that he had allegedly owned shares in two public listed companies. Azam has demanded RM10 million and a public apology from Lalitha.

“Azam should not have issued the letter of demand in the first place. He should have asked for full investigation into the alleged conflict of interest accusation against him,” Lim said.

On Saturday, Malaysian National News Agency, BERNAMA reported Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob saying that a full investigation will be carried out by the Securities Commission on Azam’s case.

Azam, admitted that he had allowed his brother to carry out shares trading through his account and is currently being investigated by the SC following reports lodged against him on going against SC regulations on share trading practices.

–WE