Syazlin agrees to represent family again at Adib's father's request

KUALA LUMPUR (June 12): Lawyer Syazlin Mansor has decided to resume as lawyer for deceased firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim's family in the inquest to ascertain the cause of his death.

"I will continue representing the deceased's family in the inquest proceedings,” she was quoted saying in the MalaysiaKini today.

In the press conference held here this afternoon, she explained that her comeback was at the request of the firefighter's family.

"Adib's father asked me to continue being their lawyer... I am quite close to the family," she said.

Earlier, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas was shocked at Syazlin's decision to stop acting for Adib's family when he initiated the latter's removal from representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry as well as the Fire and Rescue Department in the inquest.

Tommy had cited confict of interest, in case Adib's family decide to make claims against the government. 

In response to it, Syazlin said the issue is not applicable.

"I wish to stress that there is no conflict of interest as it has never arisen that the family would sue to ministry and the Fire and Rescue Department.

"This is because the theory that the deceased was hit by the firefighters' (Emergency Medical Rescue Service {EMRS} - van) is an unfounded theory which was made by those not involved in the inquest proceedings," she stated, adding that “both the family and the Fire and Rescue Department rejected the 'hit by EMRS van' theory”.

On another reason cited by Thomas, who said Syazlin's frequent contradiction against the deputy public prosecutors was not in line with her duty as the Ministry's lawyer, Syazlin pointed out that as an advocate for vested parties, she was permitted “take an active role in the inquest”.

The AG had also listed her husband's position as Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin's press secretary as another reason for her removal, to which Syazlin brushed off as irrelevant because she was doing her work pro bono.

"I believe this to be an ill-intended act to tarnish the good names of myself and my husband," Syazlin said.

Syazlin's husband, Ahmad Soffian Mohd Shariff, has announced his resignation as Zuraida's press secretary on June 10, saying today “he had lost faith in the government”.