PM and govt hold rule of law, separation of powers sacrosanct, says Annuar

KUALA LUMPUR: Requests that go against the rule of law and the principle of separation of powers will not be entertained by the Prime Minister, says Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

He said recommendations or suggestions made in the interests of a particular group or clique will be considered as just personal views and political polemic.

"The government is steadfast in prioritising integrity (at all times) and no one can force the Prime Minister to do something not in line with the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the integrity of the Malaysian Family government.

"The Prime Minister has affirmed many times that the government must be firm in obeying the principles of separation of powers and integrity to protect the hopes and aspirations of the people.

"If what the people want is different from what we are doing, then we are not doing justice," Annuar told reporters after the National Day 2022 celebrations at Dataran Merdeka here on Wednesday (Aug 31).

The Ketereh MP added that anyone is free to give their opinion but the Malaysian Family government led by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will hold on to its principles and continue to have a finger on the pulse of the rakyat.

He had been asked to comment on the resignation of Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as special advisor to the Prime Minister.

ALSO READ: Azalina's comment on AG appointment draws flak

Azalina, who is also an Umno supreme council member, had recently questioned why the current Attorney General (AG) was not government-friendly.

She had said in other parts of the world, a prime minister would appoint "his own person" to be the AG.

Azalina, who is also Pengerang MP, had also asked why the Federal Court rejected former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's bid to postpone proceedings after changing his team of lawyers.

Najib was sent to jail on Aug 23 to begin serving a 12-year sentence, after the apex court upheld a guilty conviction on charges in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.