ALL EYES ON WHO WILL BE THE NEW AG – AS CONTROVERSIAL IDRUS HARUN CLEARS HIS LEAVE UNTIL LAST DAY ON SEPT 6 – EVEN AS LEAKED NAJIB DOCUMENTS SCANDAL RAGES ON
AG on leave prior to retirement, says source
PETALING JAYA: Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun has gone on leave prior to his retirement on Sept 6, in line with finishing whatever annual leave due to him.
A source said that his role would now be taken over by Solicitor-General Datuk Terrirudin Mohd Salleh, in accordance with the law whenever the AG is away or the post was left vacant.
Under the subsection 376(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the SG shall have all powers of a Deputy Public Prosecutor and shall act as a Public Prosecutor in case of the absence or inability to act of the AG.
ALSO READ : Azalina: I was not involved in Idrus’ reappointment
Idrus, whose tenure was extended in 2022 for a year, was reappointed as the Attorney General for six months effective March 6 this year, the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said on March 3.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had consented to the reappointment of Idrus under Clause (1) Article 145 of the Federal Constitution.
Under Article 145(1), the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall, on the advice of the prime minister, appoint a person — who was qualified to be a Federal Court judge — to be the AG.
Idrus, who was earlier a former Federal Court judge, was appointed as the AG on March 6, 2020.
He had served as deputy public prosecutor in the AG’s Chambers, legal advisor at the Election Commission and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as well as the Solicitor General and Court of Appeal judge. ANN
AGC must provide swift explanation on alleged document leak, says MCA rep
PETALING JAYA: The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) must provide a swift explanation on the alleged leak of an internal memo, says Neow Choo Seong .
The MCA International Communication and Diplomacy Bureau deputy chairman noted that the leaked document, purportedly an internal memo dated Sept 10, 2019, has raised questions about its authenticity and contents.
Neow said the memo, which is still accessible to the public through a provided link, reportedly discusses six charges against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah.
Neow emphasised that the government’s response to the leaked memo is crucial for upholding the principles of the Rukun Negara and ensuring the preservation of the rule of law.
This includes verifying the document’s authenticity and promptly addressing its contents.
“One key aspect of the leaked memo is its conclusion that no substantial case exists to prosecute Najib.
“The memo allegedly states that the charges fail to meet the necessary threshold for court proceedings, with none of the 138 witnesses supporting the prosecution’s case and no supporting documentary evidence presented.
“The memo reportedly suggests that the 1MDB-IPIC prosecution case should not proceed.”
Neow further said that the leaked memo also addresses the diplomatic implications of the case, given the involvement of international entities.
“The connection between IPIC, a company owned by the UAE government, and the case raises concerns about diplomatic relations between Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE,” he added.
On Aug 17, Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun told The Star that the AGC was investigating the matter.
“We are investigating the leak of the documents,” Idrus said.
In the viral copy of the alleged internal memo, the IPIC (International Petroleum Investment Company) prosecution team was concerned that a strong prima facie case could not be built for the six charges. ANN
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