I will not interfere with AG's authority, says Anwar

– Bernama

JAKARTA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says that he does not want to interfere with the authority of the Attorney-General (AG) over the decision to ask the court for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) to Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Prime Minister said that the AG has full authority to make such a decision and had given his explanation on the matter.

"I will leave it all to the AG," he told reporters after attending the Temu Anwar programme which is the first time held abroad here at the Redtop Hotel & Convention Centre late Tuesday (Sept 5).

Ahmad Zahid, 70, had sent a 200-page letter of representation to the then attorney general Tan Sri Idrus Harun as basis for consideration for the charges against him to be dropped.

On Sept 4, Ahmad Zahid was discharged not amounting to an acquittal by the High Court of 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah discharged Ahmad Zahid, 70, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister and Rural and Regional Development Minister, after allowing Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar's application, stating that the Attorney General's Chambers wanted to discontinue all proceedings against Ahmad Zahid at this stage.

The first letter of representation was submitted in January while the latest, with facts and new evidence, was sent to the AGC in Feb.

The representation was also accompanied by a letter dated Feb 20 from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki who informed the MACC to carry out further investigations into the new facts and evidence presented by the defence.

"So, this is the decision of the AG, I do not want to interfere," said Anwar.

On a separate matter, he also noted that the Philippines would chair Asean in 2026 following the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.

"Actually, next year, Laos will be the chairman, followed by Malaysia (in 2025).

"Myanmar was supposed to take over but there was a consensus (in our meeting) that due to the ongoing internal issues in Myanmar, continuous conflict and atrocities in Myanmar, we have decided for the Philippines to take over.

"Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr also agreed and this is a positive development," said Anwar.

Indonesia on Thursday will hand over its Asean rotating chairmanship to Laos who will host the 2024 summit.

On the issue of undocumented foreign workers, he said that the Malaysian government viewed the matter seriously.

"Those without documents, we will handle it carefully. Those who have been detained, we will expedite the deportation process immediately," said Anwar.

He said there thousands of workers have been sent back without being prosecuted.