May 22, 2012
BERSIH3.0: Former S0licitor-General is Legal Council to Anwar Ibrahim
Former solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden has raised eyebrows by representing Anwar Ibrahim on a Bersih 3.0-related charge, after having led the prosecution team against him in the Sodomy II trial.
Yusof (right), met after the court proceedings today, was asked if this would be seen as a personal battle between attorney-general (AG) Abdul Gani Patail and himself.
He responded that he has nothing personal against either Gani or the government in taking up the case.
“I am a professional. They called me last night and I am available and I have no hesitation. I do not have any political affiliation,” he said.
Asked if representing Anwar now would be seen as violating the oath of secrecy – which he had signed while in public service – he said he was still bound by the oath.
Yusof ranked third in seniority in the A-G’s Chambers – where he was the long-time head of prosecution – when he opted for retirement from February 1.
Senior defence lawyer Karpal Singh likened Yusof’s entry into Anwar’s defence team as “certainly a blow to the government”.
“We got to know late that he was willing to participate in the team and we welcome him. It could be a sign…,” Karpal said.
Sankara Nair, who is also in the defence team, pointed out that whatever Yusof was involved in previously, is in the past.
During the brief hearing in court earlier today, Yusof got things going with Karpal when he objected to the bail application. DPP Abdul Wahab Mohamad had sought RM10,000 for the alleged offence under the Peaceful Assembly Act.
However, Yusof told the court that, since 1998, Anwar has never missed attending a hearing. “He may be late sometimes, but he never misses the trial,” said Yusof.
‘Clear perception’
Anwar welcomed Yusof’s participation in the defence team, disclosing that he had checked whether he was available and then contacted him.
“As you can see, (Yusof played) a role in the preliminary stage with Karpal, and is not here to make up the numbers.
“Yusof’s participation shows that he does not condone this … politically-motivated charge.
“There are many who are in the AG’s Chambers who hold the same view and are waiting for the right time to be with me.”
His willingness to join the defence team “is a clear perception that not all in the government condone” such action.
Anwar added that some have been of the view that Yusof should have been appointed the AG.
Optional retirement
Yusof, a former magistrate and Sessions Court judge was the lead prosecutor in Anwar’s sodomy II trial. He took optional retirement in February after two earlier requests were rejected.
It was reported that in recent years, he and his charges were sidelined and this prompted many to leave the Attorney General Chambers.
Yusof himself had requested for optional retirement twice in 2007 and in 2009 but without success.
On both occasions his application was rejected, the last believed to be after an intervention from then-Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (left), who wanted Yusof to lead the prosecution team in the sodomy trial.
When Premier Najib Abdul Razak assumed power he asked Yusof to continue to lead the prosecution team in the trial.
Yusof inherited the Solicitor-general II post after his predecessor Zaleha Mohd Yusof was elevated to the Judiciary.
Din Merican: the Malaysian DJ Blogger 
With due respect, Encik Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, whatever transpired between you and THAT despicable A-G, real or fictitious, I hope together with the honorable Karpal Singh you will do your utmost to quash this latest gimmick from Gani Patail’s office to charge Anwar Ibrahim under Section 4(2)(c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, with participating in the Bersih 3.0 rally. The tangle between you and the A-G is a totally different issue from defending Anwar. I hope it is not another pawn on the chess board to use for settling score with THAT A-G.
Very sure the ciplak Malay Shafee is going to be the next A-G unless PR takes over the government. A-G Gani will spend his old age in jail. I hope they just throw away the keys and see whether Gani God(UMNO) can save him or not.
Asyik cari kesalahan judiciary. Set up your own courts. Then you will be happy.
Wow, this is confounding and confusing to say the least.
Will the AG and Najib now think Abiden did not push hard enough to convict DSAI in Sodomy 2?
Whatever the case, it is now clear that the Peaceful Assembly Act is a gross misnomer. It should be re-named the Prevention of Peaceful Assembly Act Especially BY Anwar!!
Dpp
we are all of 1 Race, the Human Race
I don’t think people like makcik understand the crux of the matter here. It’s not about finding fault with the judiciary. It’s about making sure that the judiciary being independent and not being used to destroy your political opponents. Should we just watch and see proper procedures and protocols being broken?
Makcik understands everything and somethings better than us. he is here to provoke us and humiliate the opposition. he is one of the many ball-lickers of the big self-made man.
the East and West used to exchange dissidents at Check-Point Charly at the border of East and West Berlin. the cold war is over now and east and west have become peaceful.
the cold war still rages in malaysia between the self proclaimed saviours of the Malay race and Islam and those fighting for freedom and democracy.
We don’t have a Check-Point Charly here but we do have dissidents who cross over regularly (we just call them Frogs). we can also call them Kangaroo’s because they hop also but we do not out of respect for our outpost Australia (malaysian Colony lah!).
ach ja…the message? we lost old Tunku Aziz but WON young Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden. we won this round!
The political implications ( and mileage for Anwar) of this, are Huge.
The Chief Prosecutor has turned into the Defender, which makes Sodomy 2 absolute rubbish. Doesn’t influence brilliant folk, like most of us here (haha..), but sure will change the minds of even the most constipated-domesticated UMNOfunks in the kampongs. Furthermore, the message is nuanced and only people with ‘koyak-ed’, fermented mentation will continue to insist of Noodle (Sodomee) politics. Like most awesome makcik.
Now, this is what political ‘tennis’ is about – an unreturnable smash-volley, while that Tunku Aziz SNAFU, was the preceding lembek half court lob. So much for the idiocy of Jibs dream team and his coterie of idiot advisors. Everytime i look at him, it’s as if he’s sucking ‘semboi’. Why is that?
It is said that Allah works in mysterious ways.
Syukur Alhamdullialh. Perhaps Allah want Msians to know that one can love or hate Anwar but certainly he was the devil as the BN portray him days and nights.
Welcome aboard Datuk; fight for justice. Itu kan dikira ibadah juga.
Remember, there is life after death.
Mak Cik, Bila Tunku Aziz masuk DAP semua DAP happy-happy.
Yes exactly right this makcik character does , he is here to cause mischief and harm . They are programmmed in that manner.