Lawyer representing cops in Shuhaily case weighs legal action over 'online attacks'

Lawyer Kamal Hisham Jaafar, who represents two police officers accusing former Kuala Lumpur police chief Shuhaily Zain of assault, is gathering evidence of social media abuse and alleged defamation against him for possible legal action.

He said his legal team was reviewing online content that he believes has crossed legal boundaries, but the backlash would not deter him from carrying out his duties.

Kamal is acting as a watching brief lawyer to monitor the...

Lawyer Kamal Hisham Jaafar, who represents two police officers accusing Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) director-general Shuhaily Zain of assault, is gathering evidence of social media abuse and alleged defamation against him for possible legal action.

He said his legal team was reviewing online content that he believes has crossed legal boundaries, but the backlash would not deter him from carrying out his duties.

Kamal is acting as a watching brief lawyer to monitor the investigation and court proceedings, and is also representing the two officers in a related civil claim.

He said his involvement was driven by professional responsibility rather than personal interest.

“Social media attacks will not distract me from this responsibility or dampen my spirit from defending lower-ranked individuals who have become victims of bullying by high-ranking figures,” he said.

Kamal claimed the alleged acts at the centre of the dispute had occurred repeatedly but had previously gone unaddressed.

He said he was handling the case pro bono, or free of charge, as he had done with several other cases.

“I believe that justice can only be determined through the courts, not through public condemnation,” he said.

He also urged the public not to accept social media campaigns at face value, but to examine the facts, evidence, and backgrounds of those involved before reaching a conclusion.

On Oct 12, the two police officers filed a supplementary police report to submit new evidence for the investigation into their allegations that Shuhaily, 54, had assaulted them.

On Oct 21, the former Kuala Lumpur police chief pleaded not guilty to two charges of voluntarily causing hurt to the officers after the charges were read out before magistrate Khairatul Animah Jelani.

Past conviction, royal pardon

Meanwhile, Kamal also addressed the royal pardon he received from Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar in 2018.

He said the unconditional pardon had been officially announced by the Johor Palace and that the matter was resolved.

Kamal denied social media claims that he had been convicted of a criminal offence, saying he remained an active advocate and solicitor.

However, a Malaysiakini report in July 2018 stated he was fined RM30,000 after pleading guilty to one charge under the Companies Act 1965. The court also took 16 other charges into consideration when sentencing him.

In June 2018, Sultan Ibrahim granted Kamal a pardon after accepting his apology over a prolonged dispute with the Johor royal family.