Putrajaya puts off separating AG, public prosecutor’s powers

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 21 Nov 2018 8:17PM · 3 Comments

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Pakatan Harapan does not have to necessary votes in Parliament to ensure its proposal to amend the law is passed. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 21, 2018.

THE government has put on hold the plan to separate the powers of the public prosecutor and the attorney-general, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“It involves amending the federal constitution and we do not have two-thirds support in Parliament to ensure the amendment will be passed,” said the prime minister today.

Dr Mahathir made the announcement after attending the fifth special cabinet meeting on corruption in Putrajaya today.

Pakatan Harapan has 117 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, 31 short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass a law.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas had proposed separating the roles of the public prosecutor and the AG when he was appointed in June.

 The AG is the principal legal adviser to the federal government who advises the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and ministers on legal matters while the public prosecutor’s role is to institute, conduct, or discontinue prosecutions in court.     

Article 145 of the federal constitution assigns the AG the dual roles of advising the government and the power to prosecute.

Legal experts say it is important to separate the two roles to avoid conflict of interest. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 21, 2018.

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Comments

  • Put forward and then published names of all MPs who voted against it. Rakyat will vite vote them out in next election. Similarly on the 2 terms limit on PM, MBs etc. Dear TDM, if not done during your tenure, Malaysia may be at risk in future.

    Posted 7 years ago by Concerned Citizen · Reply

    • Separating the AG's roles will jeopardise the pending cases in court on the 1MDB scandal, etc?..

      Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • At present it is better not to separate. These are extraordinary times and its prudent to maintain the status quo.

    Posted 7 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply