Zaid Ibrahim today confirmed he was no longer chairman of the law firm he founded 33 years ago.
His services were terminated days after he returned to serve on the board of Zaid Ibrahim and Co (Zico Law).
“Terminated after four days is painful. I only did two things; terminate a long-term outsourcing arrangement with a Singapore company for management of the firm’s account; and appoint a finance expert to see if outsourcing contracts were done at arm’s length,” the former law minister said in a tweet today.
In a tweet yesterday, Zaid said his lawyers were preparing a response.
“Friends asked me about my so-called “termination” by Zaid Ibrahim & Co. Just after four days. It’s ok, not to worry. My lawyers are preparing their response. Anyway, I offered to go back to help them; especially the younger partners who don’t really know what’s going on,” he said on Twitter.
The firm’s website lists Dr Nik Norzrul Thani as the chairman and senior partner.
A company memo had surfaced two days ago stating Zaid’s appointment was revoked.
“We wish to announce that the partnership council has unanimously decided to revoke the appointment of Datuk Mohd Zahid Ibrahim as chairman, upon deliberation of further information received,” the memo read.
It did not say what the information was that had led to the decision.
Zaid left the firm in March 2008 when he was appointed law minister by the Barisan Nasional government. He was then the firm’s chairman and senior partner.
He also relinquished his shares in the firm.
The chair he vacated was filled by Nik Norzrul.
However, he did not serve long as minister, resigning after six months in protest of arrests made under the Internal Security Act 1960.
DAP’s Teresa Kok, blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, were among the people detained for allegedly threatening national security
Zaid subsequently formed the political party Kita, in between stints with PKR and DAP.
On October 28, Zico Law announced Zaid’s appointment as chairman of the firm, adding it was looking forward to the insights Zaid would bring to the role, particularly with regard to environmental, social and governance issues, given his deep understanding of societal and human rights issues.
Zaid had said he was delighted to return and to work together with the younger partners.
“Zaid Ibrahim & Co will continue to grow with dynamism and transparent leadership that Nik, Gilbert (Gilbert Gan, Managing Partner of Zico Law) and I hope to offer,” he had said.
That partnership came to an end after four days.
According to the Zico Law website, the firm has 300 lawyers and presence in 10 Asean countries.
Founded in 1987, the firm opened with one lawyer and two employees, housed in an office above a bicycle repair shop in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur.
In 2001, it became the first law firm in the country to have 100 lawyers on the payroll. – TMI