F1 16:56 CLIFFORD CHANCE
852 6134738
UN CLASSIFIED
FM KUALA LUMPUR
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 003
OF 140750Z JANUARY BA
INFO PRIORITY FCO
INFO ROUTINE SINGAPORE
IN
INFORMATION
UNCLASSIFIED
001313 OFFICE MEC.NO.
960
D.T.R. 17th JANUARY 1986 0700 mS
MY TELNO 001: PANX BUMIPUTRA
i
:
1. WE ASSUME THAT THE HONG KONG TEAM WHO ARE CURRENTLY HERE TO INTERVIEW MALAYSIAN WITNESSES WILL HAVE KEPT YOU UP-TO-DATE WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COURTS, INCLUDING HASHIM CHAMSUDDIN'S APPLICA~ TION TO HALT THE GATHERING OF EVIDENCE FROM THE WITNESSES. 2. IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, A LAWYER IN JOHOR BAHRU HAS APPLIED FOR A COURT ORDER TO COMPEL BANK BUMIPUTRA AND THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT TO MAKE PUBLIC THE NOORDIN COMMITTEE'S REPORT ON BMF. HIS APPLICATION WILL BE HEARD ON 22 JANUARY. TWO MEMBERS OF THE NOORDIN COMMITTES, NOORDIN HIMSELF AND CHOOT MUN SOU, HAVE SUBMITTED A SEVEN PAGE MEMORANDUM TO DR MAHATHIR SETTING OUT THEIR VIEWS ON THE LEGAL POSITION REGARDING PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT. THE THIRD MEMBER OF THE NOORDIN COMMITTEE, RAMLI IBRAHIM, DECLINED TO ADD HIS NAME
TO THE MEMORANDUM.
2. FORMER PRIME MINISTER TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN HAS SUGGESTED THAT THE NOC RR IN REPORT SHOULD BE RELEASED AS A WHITE PAPER IN PARLIAMENT TO AVOID THE RISK OF LIBEL. UMNO YOUTH ARE NOW TAKING THE LINE THAT THE REPORT BE PUBLISHED WITHOUT THOSE PARTS THAT MIGHT BREACH THE I
LAW OR INVITE LIBEL ACTIONS, DR MAHATHIR HAS SAID THAT THE CABINET WILL TAKE A DECISION NEXT WEEK ON PUBLICATION OF THE
REPORT.
: PA
AJ, P
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Sex
20/17
Cary to the Job at
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