View source for Abdul Gani Patail

{{Short description|Malaysian prosecutor and former Attorney General of Malaysia}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{malay name|Abdul Gani|Patail}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = [[Malay titles#Honorary styles|Yang Berbahagia]] [[Malay titles#Tan Sri|Tan Sri]] [[Malay titles#Datuk Sri|Datuk Seri Panglima]]
|name         = Abdul Gani Patail
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=MYS|size=100%|PMN|PSM|SUMW|SPDK|DGSM|SJMK|PNBS|SSIS|SSAP|DPMP (Perlis)}}
|image        =
|office       = 8th [[Attorney General of Malaysia]]
|term_start   = 1 January 2002
|term_end     = 27 July 2015
|monarch      = [[Sirajuddin of Perlis|Sirajuddin]]<br />[[Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu|Mizan Zainal Abidin]]<br />[[Abdul Halim of Kedah|Abdul Halim]]
|primeminister = [[Mahathir Mohamad]]<br />[[Abdullah Ahmad Badawi]]<br />[[Najib Razak]]
|predecessor  = Ainum Mohd Saaid
|successor    = [[Mohamed Apandi Ali]]
|birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1955|10|6|df=y}}
|birth_place  = [[Lahad Datu]], [[Crown Colony of North Borneo]] (now [[Sabah]], [[Malaysia]])
|death_date   =
|death_place  =
|party        =
|spouse       = Maimon Datuk Haji Arif
|residence    =
|profession   = [[Prosecutor]]
|alma_mater   = [[University of Malaya]]
|religion     =
|signature    =
}}
[[Malay titles#Tan Sri|Tan Sri]] [[Malay titles#Datuk Sri|Datuk Seri Panglima]] '''Abdul Gani bin Patail''' (born 6 October 1955) is a [[Malaysian people|Malaysian]] [[prosecutor]]. He was the [[Attorney General of Malaysia]] from 2002 to 2015, the first from [[Sabah]] to hold the position (hailing from [[Lahad Datu]] and was born in [[Lahad Datu]] district).<ref name="urlGani Patail, first local to hold post of AG | Sayang Sabah">{{cite web |url=https://www.sayangsabah.com/en/gani-patail-first-local-to-hold-post-of-ag/ |title=Gani Patail, first local to hold post of AG &#124; Sayang Sabah |format= |access-date=2015-10-03 |archive-date=15 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015181035/https://www.sayangsabah.com/en/gani-patail-first-local-to-hold-post-of-ag/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In July 2015, Abdul Gani informed police that investigators had enough information to prepare a charge sheet against Prime Minister [[Najib Razak]].<ref name="straitstimes.com">{{Cite web |date=2018-05-16 |title=Former AG prepped charge sheet against Najib: Mahathir |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-ag-prepped-charge-sheet-against-najib-mahathir |access-date= |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}</ref> Yet Abdul Gani was later removed from his position for "health reasons" and replaced by [[Mohamed Apandi Ali]].<ref>{{Cite web |first1=Loshana K. |last1=Shagar |first2=M. |last2=Mageswari |date=2015-07-28 |title=Mohamed Apandi Ali replaces Gani Patail as Attorney-General |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/07/28/gani-patail-terminated |access-date= |website=The Star |language=en}}</ref>
==Background==
Abdul Gani Patail graduated with a [[Bachelor of Laws]] (Hons) degree from the [[University of Malaya]] in 1979. He began his legal career the following year as a Deputy Public Prosecutor (the title for a prosecuting officer in Malaysia) in [[Kota Kinabalu]], [[Sabah]]. In 1985, he was promoted to Senior Federal Counsel for Sabah.<ref name="agc">[http://www.agc.gov.my/agc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=166&lang=en Attorney General's Profile] {{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Attorney General's Chambers. Accessed 13 June 2010</ref>
Gani also amongst the graduate of University Malaya alongside [[Sudirman Arshad|Sudirman Haji Arshad]], [[Idrus Harun]] (Former General Solicitor, and the Former Attorney General of Malaysia), Amdan Mat Din (father of Aizat Amdan - Malaysian Singer ) in final examination of 1979/1980 academic years.
In January 1994, Abdul Gani moved to the [[Attorney General's Chambers]] in [[Kuala Lumpur]]. There he was appointed Head of the Prosecution Division (1994 and again in 2000), Head of the Advisory and International Division (1995) and Commissioner of Law Revision (1997).<ref name="agc"/>
On 1 January 2002, he was appointed Attorney General of Malaysia.<ref name="agc"/>
Abdul Gani's tenure as Attorney General ended in 2015 when the [[Chief Secretary to the Government]] announced he had stepped down for health reasons. The announcement was abrupt, and Patail himself was apparently unaware of the decision to have him removed from his post.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/gani-says-in-the-dark-over-sudden-termination| title = Gani says in the dark over sudden termination {{!}} Malaysia {{!}} Malay Mail}}</ref> Prior to this, he was head of a multi-agency taskforce investigating claims of [[1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal|misappropriation of funds]] allegedly involving prime minister [[Najib Razak]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Gani Patail no longer Attorney-General, chief secretary says |url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/gani-patail-no-longer-attorney-general-chief-secretary-says/ |publisher=[[Malay Mail Online]] |date=28 July 2015}}</ref>
==Investigating 1MDB corruption scandal==
{{main|1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal}}
On 2 July 2015, [[The Wall Street Journal]] (WSJ) reported that Malaysian investigators have traced nearly US$700 million of deposits into what they believe are personal bank accounts of Prime Minister [[Najib Razak]].<ref>{{Cite news |first1=Tom |last1=Wright |first2=Simon |last2=Clark |date=2015-07-02 |title=Investigators Believe Money Flowed to Malaysian Leader Najib’s Accounts Amid 1MDB Probe |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/malaysian-investigators-probe-points-to-deposits-into-prime-ministers-accounts-1435866107 |access-date= |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>
Corruption allegations swirling around the debt-laden state investment fund [[1Malaysia Development Berhad]] (1MDB) pose the biggest threat to Najib's credibility since he took office in 2009. The prime minister chairs the state-owned firm's advisory board.
On 4 July 2015, Abdul Gani confirms he received documents from an official investigation making the link between Najib and 1MDB. The documents pave the way for possible criminal charges.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-04 |title=AG confirms seeing documents on PM graft allegations |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/304049 |access-date= |website=Malaysiakini}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-07-04 |title=Malaysia's attorney general says has seen documents on Najib allegations |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/malaysia-1mdb-idUSL8N0ZK07620150704 |access-date=}}</ref>
On 27 July 2015, chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa released a statement announcing that Abdul Gani had health problems and would be replaced by former Federal Court judge [[Mohamed Apandi Ali]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-28 |title=Mohamed Apandi replaces Gani Patail as Malaysian Attorney-General |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mohamed-apandi-replaces-gani-patail-as-malaysian-attorney-general |access-date= |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}</ref> A constitutional lawyer had told ''[[Malaysiakini]]'' that Abdul Gani could institute a legal challenge on his removal after claiming he did not know he was withdrawn from leading the Attorney General Chambers, by asking the courts to interpret Article 145 (5) and (6).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yatim |first=Hafiz |date=2015-07-28 |title=Expert: Gani can challenge his removal in court |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/306443 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Malaysiakini}}</ref>
On 16 May 2018, Prime Minister [[Mahathir Mohamad]], following a meeting with Abdul Gani, revealed that the latter told him he was in the midst of preparing to charge Najib when he was removed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chie |first=Kow Gah |date=2018-05-16 |title=PM says ex-AG told him about plan to charge Najib |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/425233 |access-date= |website=Malaysiakini}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ibrahim |first=Ida Nadirah |date=2018-05-16 |title=Dr M: Gani said was about to charge Najib when axe fell |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2018/05/16/dr-m-gani-said-was-about-to-charge-najib-when-axe-fell/1631577 |access-date= |website=Malay Mail |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Chester |last=Tay |date=2018-05-16 |title=Dr Mahathir: Gani Patail was preparing to charge Najib before he was removed |url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/dr-mahathir-gani-patail-was-preparing-charge-najib-he-was-removed |access-date= |website=The Edge Markets}}</ref><ref name="straitstimes.com"/>
In August 2020, [[Ali Hamsa]], who was chief secretary to the government from 2012 to 2018, testified in court that he had personally handed a termination letter to Abdul Gani in 2015, which was drafted by his assistant in Najib Razak's presence.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Sharanjit |date=24 August 2020 |title=Ali Hamsa reveals how Gani Patail was issued termination letter |work=New Straits Times |url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2020/08/618989/ali-hamsa-reveals-how-gani-patail-was-issued-termination-letter}}</ref>
==Honours==
===Honours of Malaysia===
* {{Flag|Malaysia}}
** [[File:Kesatria Mangku Negara.png|50px]] Officer of the [[Order of the Defender of the Realm#Officer|Order of the Defender of the Realm]] (KMN) (1993)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|title=Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat|access-date=24 August 2018|archive-date=29 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929181530/http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[File:Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - PSM.svg|50px]] Commander of the [[Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia#Commander|Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]] (PSM) – '''Tan Sri''' (2003)<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=7 June 2003|access-date=25 September 2018|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2003/06/07/list-of-award-recipients-in-conjunction-with-the-yang-dipertuan-agongs-birthday/|title=List of award recipients in conjunction with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's birthday}}</ref>
** [[File:MY Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara (Defender of the Realm)- PMN.svg|50px]] Commander of the [[Order of the Defender of the Realm#Commander|Order of the Defender of the Realm]] (PMN) – '''Tan Sri''' (2005)<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=4 June 2005|access-date=25 September 2018|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2005/06/04/cj-and-ghaz-conferred-tun/|title=CJ and Ghaz conferred Tun|work=Sira Habibu}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Federal Territory (Malaysia)}} :
** [[File:MY-FED Darjah Mahkota Wilayah - Grand Knight - SUMW.svg|50px]] Grand Knight of the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of the Malaysian states and federal territories#Federal Territories|Order of the Territorial Crown]] (SUMW) – '''Datuk Seri Utama''' (2015)<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=1 February 2015|access-date=25 September 2018|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/02/01/jackie-chan-now-a-datuk-hk-actor-among-71-recipients-of-federal-territories-day-awards/|title=Jackie Chan now a Datuk|work=Sira Habibu}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Kelantan}} :
** [[File:My-KEL Order of the Life of the Crown of Kelantan 1925-2006.svg|50px]] Knight Grand Commander of the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Kelantan|Order of the Life of the Crown of Kelantan]] (SJMK) – '''Dato'''' (2003)
* {{Flag|Malacca}} :
** [[File:MY-MAL Exalted Order of Malacca.svg|50px]] Grand Commander of the [[Exalted Order of Malacca]] (DGSM) – '''Datuk Seri''' (2004)<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=9 October 2005|access-date=25 September 2018|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2004/10/09/83-datuks-in-malacca-list/|title=83 Datuks in Malacca list|work=Lee Yuk Peng}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Pahang}} :
** [[File:MY-PAH Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang - Grand Knight - SSAP.svg|50px]] Grand Knight of the [[Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang]] (SSAP) – '''Dato' Sri''' (2005)<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=26 October 2005|access-date=25 September 2018|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2005/10/26/sultan-of-pahangs-75th-birthday-honours-list/|title=Sultan of Pahang's 75th birthday honours list}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Perlis}} :
** [[File:MY-PERL Order of the Crown of Perlis - Knight Commander - DPMP.svg|50px]] Knight Commander of the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Perlis|Order of the Crown of Perlis]] (DPMP) – '''Dato'''' (1995)
* {{Flag|Sabah}} :
** [[File:MY-SAB Order of Kinabalu - PGDK.svg|50px]] Commander of the [[Order of Kinabalu#Commander|Order of Kinabalu]] (PGDK) – '''Datuk''' (2001)
** [[File:MY-SAB Order of Kinabalu - SPDK.svg|50px]] Grand Commander of the [[Order of Kinabalu#Grand Commander|Order of Kinabalu]] (SPDK) – '''Datuk Seri Panglima''' (2002)
* {{Flag|Sarawak}} :
** [[File:MY-SAR Order of the Star of Sarawak - 2 ribbon PNBS -JBS-PBS-ABS-BBS.svg|50px]] Knight Commander of the [[Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak]] (PNBS) – '''Dato Sri''' (2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=1024&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_22.htm|title=Tunku Mahkota Johor ketuai senarai penerima darjah|website=Utusan Online|access-date=2018-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829073021/http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=1024&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_22.htm|archive-date=29 August 2018|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Selangor}} :
** [[File:MY-SEL Order of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah - Knight Grand Companion - SSIS.svg|50px]] Knight Grand Companion of the [[Order of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah]] (SSIS) – '''Dato' Setia''' (2003)<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=13 December 2003|access-date=25 September 2018|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2003/12/13/the-sultan-of-selangors-birthday-honours-list/|title=The Sultan of Selangor's Birthday Honours List}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal]]
* [[Corruption in Malaysia]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia}}
{{Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm}}
{{Portal bar|Malaysia|Biography|Politics|Law}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:People from Sabah]]
[[Category:Kadazan-Dusun people]]
[[Category:Malaysian Muslims]]
[[Category:20th-century Malaysian lawyers]]
[[Category:Attorneys general of Malaysia]]
[[Category:University of Malaya alumni]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Kinabalu]]
[[Category:Grand Commanders of the Order of Kinabalu]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the Defender of the Realm]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the Defender of the Realm]]
[[Category:21st-century Malaysian lawyers]]