GEORGE TOWN: The Sessions Court here today granted a request by lawyer R. S. N Rayer (pix) to withdraw from representing one of the six individuals charged with allegedly issuing and selling Malaysian identity documents to foreigners.
Judge Norsalha Hamzah allowed Rayer’s application to stop representing Datuk Lai Chin Wah, 56, who is facing 32 charges involving the issuance and sale of birth certificates and identity cards to foreigners.
In his application, Rayer, who is also Jelutong Member of Parliament (MP), said the decision to withdraw was made because he did not want his involvement in the case to be used by irresponsible parties to make accusations against the DAP and Pakatan Harapan government.
“There are certain parties including political parties that question my appointment as a lawyer in this case because I am a government MP,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lai told the court that he had appointed lawyer R. Sivahnathan to represent him in the case.
Besides Lai, the other accused in the case are National Registration Department (JPN) assistant director Mohd Faizul Ariffin, 34, Loh Chan Cheong, 34, Chien Guan Chai, 36, Yap Cheng Wah, 44, and Mohd Faizal Tan Abdullah, 56. — Bernama
