Did the AG breach natural justice by not contacting Najib for explanation?

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The Auditor-General's Actions Were Alleged to Be a Breach of Natural Justice

Datuk Seri Najib Razak's legal team has asserted that the Auditor-General (AG) committed a significant breach of natural justice by failing to contact Najib for an explanation regarding his alleged role in the alteration of the 1MDB audit report before issuing a public statement. This omission, they contend, denied the former prime minister a fundamental opportunity to respond to the claims made against him.
No Attempt to Contact Najib for Explanation

Lawyers representing Najib stated that the Auditor-General, Tan Sri Madinah Mohamad, did not make any effort to reach out to Najib for his perspective on the alleged tampering of the 1MDB audit report prior to releasing a press statement. This lack of engagement is central to the defence's argument regarding procedural fairness.
Allegation of a Serious Breach of Natural Justice

The defence team characterized the AG's failure to seek Najib's explanation as a "serious breach of natural justice." They argued that as the Member of Parliament for Pekan, Najib was never afforded the chance to present his side of the story or respond to the specific allegations put forth by the Auditor-General.
Premature Disclosure and Public Accusation Questioned

Further concerns were raised regarding the timing and nature of the AG's statement, which was disclosed to the public on a Sunday morning and reportedly under Cabinet orders. Najib's lawyers questioned the motive behind this premature disclosure, suggesting it could be an attempt to influence public opinion and prejudice Najib's ongoing court cases, effectively accusing him before a formal investigation was completed. The statement's forwarding to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Royal Malaysian Police for investigation was also highlighted as a potentially premature step.

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Did the AG breach natural justice by not contacting Najib for explanation?

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