What notable cases has Sulaiman Abdullah handled?

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Notable Cases Handled by Sulaiman Abdullah

Sulaiman Abdullah, appointed as the lead prosecutor in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's trial concerning RM42 million linked to a former 1MDB subsidiary, has a distinguished legal career marked by involvement in several high-profile and constitutionally significant cases. His experience spans decades, encompassing roles as a prosecutor and as legal counsel in matters touching upon religious freedom, personal status, and constitutional law.
Cases Involving Religious and Personal Status Issues

Sulaiman has represented state or federal territories' Islamic bodies in several landmark cases that have shaped legal discourse. This includes acting in Lina Joy's bid to have the word "Islam" removed from her identity card, a case that examined religious conversion and identity. He also represented parties in the Catholic Church's challenge against the ban on using the word "Allah" in their internal newsletter, a matter that tested religious freedom and terminology. Furthermore, he was involved in the constitutional challenge by three Negri Sembilan transgender individuals against a state Shariah law prohibiting cross-dressing, and a Johor couple's effort to remove the illegitimacy designation from their son's name, which involved challenging the "bin Abdullah" tag.
Role in the Perak Constitutional Crisis

In the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis, Sulaiman played a crucial role as the lead counsel for Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin. This situation arose from the collapse of the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government and Nizar's subsequent attempt to regain his position as the mentri besar. Although Nizar initially secured a High Court victory, the Court of Appeal ultimately ruled in favour of his rival, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, as the lawful mentri besar. This decision was subsequently upheld by the Federal Court in February 2010.
Broader Legal Experience and Expertise

With 49 years of experience in the legal field, Sulaiman's background includes a period as a law lecturer at Universiti Malaya from 1973 to 1984. He has also held significant positions within the legal fraternity, serving as the Malaysian Bar secretary from 1993 to 1995 and as its president from 2000 to 2001. His continuous engagement with the Bar Council since 1989 underscores his long-standing commitment and influence within the legal community. The Attorney General, Tommy Thomas, has described Sulaiman as a lawyer with substantial experience in criminal law, including white-collar crimes, which is pertinent to his current role.

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What notable cases has Sulaiman Abdullah handled?

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