KLANG MP Charles Santiago has urged MPs, senators and civil society groups to lodge police reports against former attorney-general (AG) Mohamed Apandi Ali for allegedly fabricating information and abusing his power in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd probe.

“Other political parties should come on board. Let’s make this a national momentum so that there is no abuse of power anymore,” said Santiago after police questioned him today on his report against Apandi.

He said to date, DAP has lodged six reports while Pejuang has lodged one.

The reports came about after High Court judge Azimah Omar, in a 100-page judgment, noted that Apandi seemed disinterested and at times self-contradictory when testifying in the RM10 million defamation suit he filed against DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

Apandi had sued Lim for defamation over an article published on his blog titled “Dangerous fallacy to think Malaysia’s on the road to integrity” that was published in 2019.

The judge who had dismissed the suit described in her 100-page judgment that it was most telling and revealing evidence that Apandi overtly showed disinterest and indifference to the elementary rule of law and even common sense.

Touching on Apandi’s press conference on January 26, 2016, where he accepted the donation narrative and absolved former prime minister Najib Razak, Azimah said that Apandi seemed to have contradicted himself when cross-examined by Lim’s lawyers.

She said that it was well known in the public domain that the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission and other task forces had recommended criminal charges or at least in-depth investigation into the “fantastical donation” and the SRC International Sdn Bhd monies.

Based on Azimah’s judgment and observations, Santiago said he held the view that Apandi had fabricated information and lied while in office, leading to the abuse of his powers as the principal legal adviser of the country.

He said there appeared to be collusion between the former AG and Najib.

He said there was too much power vested in the hands of the AG and called for the separation of power.

“This collusion cannot take place. Therefore, it is a must to separate the roles of the AG and the public prosecutor so people will have faith in the system,” Santiago said.

Santiago said the Dewan Rakyat’s approval of the anti-party hopping bill with more than two-thirds majority yesterday was a good start.

“So the next thing we should look at is the role of the AG. The prime minister should take note of this and step in quickly,” he said. – July 29, 2022.