KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 10): De facto law minister Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan claimed in Parliament today that former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas had recommended for the prosecution to accept a representation letter by Riza Aziz's lawyer for the money laundering charges against Riza to be compounded and settled without prosecution.

The representation letter, the minister said, was an application for the withdrawal or reconsideration of the charges, in return for Riza's agreement to give up three of his properties in the US, which were forfeited by the US Department of Justice.

During his winding up speech, Takiyuddin read out the representation letter, which he said was minuted by Thomas and sent to senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, in which the former AG was said to have written: "I am prepared to consider this representation."

"This shows that the then AG had in principle agreed that the Riza Aziz case should be compounded and settled without going through prosecution," said the minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

He further said that Sri Ram then discussed with then Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya, with both of them recommending that the commission accept the representation.

"On March 11, another representation letter was submitted by Riza Aziz's lawyer to the then AG. Riza Aziz gave his word that he would obey all the terms and conditions set by MACC in relation to the five charges. This is why the current AG, who took over after his predecessor resigned, was briefed by the deputy public prosecutors of the previous AG's position on the matter.

"On April 16, 2020, the MACC told Riza Aziz's lawyer that the prosecution was ready to apply for the case to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA)," said Takiyuddin.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (PH-Sepang) said the former AG's minutes on the letter cannot be concluded as Thomas' agreement to accept the representation letter.

"He said 'I'm prepared' and said 'I await your advice, Gopal Sri Ram'. From what I understand, he would still have to wait for Gopal Sri Ram's advice. It [didn't] mean that he [was] agreeing to the settlement. The statement you are making is misleading.

"You are misleading the Dewan Rakyat," said Hanipa, before he was muted by deputy speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said amid shouting from both sides as things became heated.

Sessions Court judge Azman Ahmad on May 14 granted a DNAA to Riza, who is Datuk Seri Najib Razak's stepson. Riza faced five counts of money laundering involving US$248 million allegedly related to controversial state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

For more Parliament stories, click here.