KUALA LUMPUR – The government has been advised to appoint an attorney-general (AG) who also serves as the public prosecutor (PP) from among Parliament members, similar to the practice in England.
Former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim said that this proposal is the only way to ensure the AG is accountable for decisions made by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“Additionally, the Public Prosecutor’s Office must be separated from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to operate as an independent unit with its own funding.
“Let it be managed by lawyers (from the government and private sectors) whose promotions and job security are not dependent on the AG,” he said in a social media post today.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pointed out weaknesses in several prosecutions carried out after the 14th general election (GE14), as they were conducted in rushed way.
The prime minister explained that these actions were driven by hatred, hostility, and political vendettas by those in power.
He made these remarks in response to questions about judicial independence following the acquittal of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor from charges of money laundering and failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.
Further commenting, Zaid said such reforms would end the era of an AG remaining silent and unaccountable to the public.
“It would make Anwar a true reformist and might even lead to an electoral victory.
“The prime minister should be commended for his candid statement. Now, he only needs to take a few simple steps to prevent such incidents from recurring,” he said.
Meanwhile, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi questioned the status of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Tommy Thomas, agreed upon by the cabinet on January 11, 2023.
“What’s the story? With the PMX’s (Anwar’s) latest comments on ‘pendakwaan beracun’ (toxic prosecutions), Tommy Thomas should be investigated.
“I have been calling for an RCI on Tommy Thomas since 2021. Many issues could be linked if there was misconduct – his memoir, judicial appointments, Batu Puteh, and ‘toxic prosecutions,'” he said.
He also questioned whether certain parties were obstructing the establishment of the RCI on Tommy Thomas.
“Is ‘delayed justice’ being compromised? I hope Bersih, C4, and the Malaysian Bar will not be selective when addressing issues of ‘justice,'” he added.
On January 11, 2023, the cabinet agreed to the proposal to establish an RCI on allegations raised in former AG Tommy Thomas’s memoir titled My Story: Justice in the Wilderness.
Law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said stated that the RCI aims to uncover the truth and provide recommendations to the government for institutional legal reforms. – December 22, 2024