KUALA LUMPUR – PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has urged the public to be fair in its criticism towards the government over the conditional discharge of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from his graft trial.
Rafizi pointed out that rebukes would also have been voiced if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had ordered for the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to not submit its request for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) to be granted to Zahid.
“I think the public has to be fair; on one hand, (the public) doesn’t want any interference (from the government on Zahid’s DNAA), but on the other hand (the public) wants (the government) to interfere.
“The fact is that the AG (attorney-general) had decided to (inform) the prime minister on his decision (to request for the DNAA). If you were (Anwar), do you tell him (the AG) to do otherwise?
“Doing so would mean interference (by the government), but when he (AG) decided on the DNAA and (Anwar) didn’t interfere, the public is now saying there was interference (by the government,” the Economic Affairs Minister said in a radio interview with BFM today.
The economic affairs minister also pointed out how Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, had allowed cabinet ministers to raise their concerns over Zahid’s DNAA as evidence of how the government has nothing to hide.
“(Anwar) did not stop discussions when cabinet asked for an explanation and he didn’t interfere when party leaders asked to summon the two attorney-generals for their explanation.
“To me, that’s clear proof that the public will find out (reasons behind the AGC’s DNAA request),” Rafizi said.
Last Monday, Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, was granted a DNAA by the High Court on all 47 of his corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering charges involving his foundation, Yayasan Akalbudi.
Following widespread backlash from certain quarters critiquing the AGC’s decision to request for Zahid’s DNAA, Anwar said that former AG Tan Sri Idrus Harun had decided to submit the application after reviewing facts surrounding the case.
Anwar also said that Idrus had insisted on presenting the application on September 4 as the following day marked the end of his term as AG before Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh took over the post.
Meanwhile, when questioned on whether PH would be willing to “cross the line” of agreeing to a pardon for imprisoned former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Rafizi said: “I think it’s a given that PH will not agree to it.”
He also noted that the matter, if it arises, will be discussed by unity government component members and at the cabinet level.
During the BN lynchpin Umno annual general meeting in June, party president Zahid said that the party’s supreme council remains committed to their aim of ensuring Najib’s release from prison.
Najib, the former Umno president is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence in Kajang Prison over charges of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust relating to SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.
In April this year, Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said that the Umno Supreme Council had requested the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to consider granting Najib a royal pardon.
Anwar had later said that while he will be part of Najib’s pardon process, there is no conflict of interest in the matter.
Article 42(5) of the Federal Constitution states that a Pardons Board for each state as well as the federal territories shall consist of the AG, the chief minister or minister in charge of the federal territories and not more than three other members appointed by the king.
Since Anwar’s administration does not have a specific federal territories ministry, with its responsibilities now placed under the Prime Minister’s Department, Anwar is the de facto minister. – September 13, 2023