PUTRAJAYA and Attorney-General Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh must impose a moratorium on applications for high-profile cases to be discharged, Bersih said. 

Bersih, which is the Malay acronym for Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, said the judiciary must be allowed to determine whether those who are accused are guilty or innocent without any interference from the AG or his political master.

This included cases involving politicians such as former prime minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor, former finance minister Lim Guan Eng and former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
 
The call comes after the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) withdrew all 47 corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Last week, the AGC had stated that there were cogent reasons to grant Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal. 

High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah had allowed the prosecution to discharge Zahid of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering charges in relation to Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

The prosecution said it wished to halt proceedings to make way for further investigation into the case. 

Bersih said Zahid must be charged again after the new probe.

“On Malaysia’s 60th birthday, we appeal to the common sense and decency of all political parties and elected representatives to defend our independence by upholding the rule of law and a clean government. 

“We renew our call for an inter-party peace deal to prevent any political blackmails from partners in the coalition government,” it said in a statement to commemorate Malaysia Day today.

“The prosecution’s failure in missing the deadline to file an appeal against Najib and former 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy in the 1MDB audit report tampering case, resulting in their acquittal must be investigated and the negligence of the AGC officials responsible must be duly punished.

“If Najib was jailed last year because he was out of power but walks free tomorrow because his party is back to power, then the message to Malaysians is loud and clear: you are innocent until you lose power, and you regain innocence when you regain power.

“It will destroy public confidence in our political system and produce political cynicism.

“Such a Malaysia, where innocence hinges on power and election replaces court in deciding justice, would be an international pariah and a prime target for economic colonisation.

“Najib, who looted Malaysia, must remain in jail for his SRC case and be tried fairly for the remaining cases.” – September 16, 2023.