PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim has shot down calls for a special parliament sitting to discuss Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) on 47 counts of criminal breach of trust, corruption, and money laundering. 

Anwar said parliament was not the right forum to deliberate any court decision or legal case. 

Responding to questions from reporters on the matter, Anwar said the principle of separation of powers in a democratic government must be upheld. 

“Parliament is not the courts. We cannot negotiate or discuss court cases within the confines of parliament. 

“Moreover, we must prevent parliament from becoming a forum for legal proceedings,” the prime minister said. 

He said MPs could ask questions on it in parliament, but they needed to remember that they would not receive any reply as the attorney general would be absent, being neither an MP nor a minister. 

Tyra Hanim Razali, PKR youth wing vice-chief, yesterday alleged there could be a planned conspiracy in the decision to withdraw the 47 charges against the Umno president, despite the AG’s explanation of it. 

She said it was as if there was a “plot” planned by an irresponsible party. 

In a statement, Tyra stated something was “amiss”, as the attorney general Idrus Harun was on pre-retirement leave when the ruling was made, and the deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran, who had successfully established a prima facie case against Zahid, was reported to have applied for early retirement. 

The AGC had said the withdrawal of 47 corruption charges against Zahid was based on cogent reasons. – September 8, 2023.