Legality of Latheefa’s appointment not in question, PM’s unilateral action is, says MP

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 6 Jun 2019 9:14PM · 10 Comments

DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh says the legality of the appointment of the new MACC chief has never been in question, but a unilateral appointment by the prime minister to such an important post has no place in a healthy democracy. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, June 6, 2019.

IT is not an issue of acting in accordance to the law in appointing Latheefa Koya as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief but rather the prime minister’s failure to consult the cabinet and Parliamentary Select Committee on Public Appointments on the matter, said DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh.

The Bukit Gelugor MP said that the prime minister’s confirmation that he did not consult the cabinet in Latheefa’s appointment was a cause for concern.

He also said de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong also missed the point by saying Dr Mahathir Mohamad had acted within the law in appointing Latheefa.

“The point that he (Liew) is missing here is not the legality of Latheefa’s appointment but whether making such unilateral appointments without consultation with the cabinet and the said committee is in line with the reforms promised before Pakatan Harapan (PH) came into power.

“With respect, unilateral appointments such as this is not part of a healthy democracy and ought not to happen, irrespective of the quality or otherwise of the appointee,” Ramkarpal said in a statement today.

The lawyer agreed that the MACC Act may provide that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the MACC head on the advice of the prime minister and technically gives him unfettered discretion to pick his choice of candidate for the post.

However, he said, the whole point of promise 14 in PH’s election manifesto was to ensure check and balance and transparency of such appointments by the setting up of a select committee on public appointments.

“The purpose of such a committee becomes meaningless if such appointments are made unilaterally without even consulting the cabinet,” he said.

Earlier today Liew said Dr Mahathir’s appointment of Latheefa as the MACC chief was done in accordance to the law.

He said the appointment was in line with Section 5(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act and as such the need to refer the cabinet or a parliamentary select does not arise. – June 6, 2019.

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Comments

  • Ramkarpal is good.
    Straight to the point

    Posted 6 years ago by Anjing kawan Kucing Comel · Reply

  • Same story over and over again. Enough already unless you have new points to raise. All these MPs want to be heard and make themselves relevant..
    Will you be happy if the PM resigns tomorrow? Perhaps, you would be.. but all hell will break lose..I can imagine

    Posted 6 years ago by Kampung Boy · Reply

    • Agreed.

      Posted 6 years ago by Luke Skywalker · Reply

  • It puzzle the rakyat why PH Law Makers are making this appointment as a bone for contention. To date the PH GE14 manifesto deliverance are yet to expectations. Harping on the act as unilteral decision offending the democratic approach principle is a bit over playing in the political scenerio. More so when it is legal and prerogatives of a person who is the PM. Lets not attempt this as a show case that democracy is stiffled due to the emotional indifferences. Stop playing on the importance of the selection committee who till todate has yet to portray any significant contribution that will impact the lives of the rakyat. The triviality of the concerns do not warrant a big outcries except for ego trip being ruffled for some. Honestly the rakyt are all for the change in MACC and when a straight shooter like LK comes along , it is too good to pass. It is always the MPs who sometime being an irritant with no clarity of rakyat needs but still living in the old school of thoughts that by making loud noises to show their existence are only being loud and blurr and depriving the rakay for a greater good and causes. Ramkarpal you are good man but wrong call , wrong timing and wrong read of the situation.

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

    • straight shooter like LK
      damn right
      we need these sort of people

      Posted 6 years ago by Lan Lan · Reply

  • We do need checks and balances. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Perhaps the law on important appointments should be amended ASAP

    Posted 6 years ago by Philip Ting · Reply

  • Ramkarpal makes much sense in his comments about Latheefa's appointment and Dr M should realise that it is never too old to admit your mistake, learn from it and not repeat it in the future. Only then can the respect for him from the lowly man in the street be complete. He must stop treating his cabinet members as little children not worthy to be consulted before making important appointments.

    Posted 6 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • Ramkapal makes no sense its the PM choice for what ever reason he has not in from the MPs only those who are talking now know Why! Look what are you MPs are doing for the Government of the Day and the People who elected them. What really do this MPs knows! Only to voice out but the truth they cant do anything ask anyone of them!!

    Posted 6 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply

  • Ramkapal its better you go work with Dumshits umnobn/ pas. Dont live in your late fathers shadows ( opposition) stop being the opposition within Dap/PH. U voice out about every dam Decision that is made by the PM. Why have you not voice about your .

    Posted 6 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply

  • Let me get this straight, you'd rather everything goes through PSC, guling guling a few months even years then pick some "politically approved" person to do the job? So, guling guling until change govt then play blame game - "who is at fault?"

    It's actually pretty simple. Has TDM broken any laws? (Gopal Sri Ram and our Law Minister don't seem to think so) Most importantly, can the new MACC chief do the job? That's it. Simple as that. No need guling guling in the name of democracy, right?

    I for one, supports Latheefa as the new MACC chief. I know she will do a great job. Now she gets to put her money where her mouth is!

    Posted 6 years ago by 2 Cents · Reply