KUALA LUMPUR — The Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform will summon the current and immediate past attorney generals to its proceedings on separating the functions of the office.
In a statement, the committee said it was also proposed that proceedings also cover several recent legal developments such as the conditional discharge of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the dismissal of abuse charges against former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Without denying the power of the AG under Article 145 of the Federal Constitution and the integrity of the AG and his officers, the committee is of the view that cases like these give a negative perception that there is interference by the AG’s Chambers by certain parties as well as different considerations on high profile cases,” it said.
It said that justice not only needs to be upheld, but must also be seen to be upheld.
The call for the AG’s dual roles to be separated was reignited after the prosecution’s decision last week to discontinue a corruption trial involving 47 charges against Ahmad Zahid.
On December 3, 2022, Azalina upon her appointment as minister said her law and institutional reform portfolio’s foremost focus is to make the necessary amendments to laws to make them relevant to our times, citing the separation of power of the AG and public prosecutor to preserve the independence of the public prosecutor’s discretion as an example.
On September 8, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported saying that the proposal to separate the AG’s and public prosecutor’s roles had been presented to the Cabinet several months ago and that it has been referred to a parliamentary special committee for further study, adding that the process to implement this would require high costs and would also take time while also requiring a two-thirds majority support in Parliament. ANN
Perikatan Youth to cooperate with police over Save Malaysia Movement rally
KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional Youth will cooperate with the police to ensure the Save Malaysia Movement rally planned for Saturday (Sept 16) runs smoothly, says its chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari.
He said discussions between the coalition and the police began on Monday (Sept 11).
“Tomorrow (Sept 13), Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal and I will go to the Dang Wangi police station to give our statements.
“We will use this opportunity to hold further discussions with the police for their cooperation to ensure our event runs smoothly,” he said at a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday (Sept 12).
Ahmad Fadhli said they were also open to changing the location for the rally.
It was initially scheduled to be held in the vicinity of the Sogo complex.
“We were told to hold the rally at a bigger venue. We have also discussed changing the location to the front of the Selangor Foundation,” he said, adding that details would be announced from time to time.
“I am confident that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government is one that upholds reformation and give their full cooperation for this rally to be successful unless they are afraid.
“If there are no provocations or obstacles, many youths nationwide are expected to attend the rally,” the Pasir Mas MP added.
Earlier in the Dewan Rakyat, Ahmad Fadhli asked the government to ease the process for Saturday’s demonstration.
“If you want us to change the location, we will do so. We just want (an avenue) to vent the people’s dissatisfaction,” he said while debating the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review.
He said protesters would adhere to all regulations while taking to the streets.
He also reminded the ruling government had championed the freedom of demonstrations before it came to power.
Ahmad Fadhli also questioned if police permits were still needed for street demonstrations, adding that the government should clarify on that.
On Sunday (Sept 10), Ahmad Fadhli said they would hold a gathering on Sept 16 over Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal on 47 graft charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds granted by the High Court.
In a statement on Tuesday, Gombak Setia assemblyman Hilman Idham also said he had been called by the police to give his statement on Wednesday over the planned rally on Sept 16. ANN
ANN / MALAY MAIL
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