Split powers of AG and Public Prosecutor within a year, says Guan Eng

KUALA LUMPUR: Separate the offices of the Attorney General (AG) and the Public Prosecutor (PP) within a year to silence criticisms, said Lim Guan Eng.

"I hope that the government will give a year to complete the separation of the offices of the AG and PP.

"I believe that it is only through this step that the confidence among the rakyat that the spirit of reformasi is still flaming in the unity government and not as what some quarters claim," the Bagan MP said when debating the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review in Parliament on Wednesday (Sept 13).

The DAP national chairman also said that recently-minted AG Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh should provide a clear explanation of recent decisions related to several cases.

"The government must admit that there is still dissatisfaction among many quarters including the Bar Council.

"I feel that a comprehensive and transparent explanation will help assure the rakyat with regard to the decisions made by the AG," he added.

On Tuesday (Sept 12), a war of words erupted in Dewan Rakyat over the recent discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted to Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi by the court last week.

Opposition chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan called out several DAP leaders over their silence on the issue.

In a tongue-in-cheek response, Takiyuddin (PN-Kota Baru) mispronounced Pakatan Harapan's well-known slogan "reformasi" (reforms) into "reformati" (reforms are dead).

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had announced that two special task forces will be set up to study and hasten the process of separating the offices of the AG and PP.

The Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform had also announced that it would be calling former AG Tan Sri Idrus Harun and Ahmad Zahid's lawyers to explain the DNAA with the committee's finding to be tabled in Parliament during its next sitting.

Besides Ahmad Zahid’s DNAA, the PSSP will also look at the acquittal of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy in the 1MDB audit tampering case and former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s acquittal of four charges involving power abuse.

Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) took a swipe at Pakatan for not keeping to its promise of changing Idrus as AG when it came to power last year.

"Kota Raja (Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu (PH-Kota Raja)) promised to get the AG changed if they won in the general election," he said.

Lim told Radzi not to play politics while in the House by having double standards.

He said that Perikatan Nasional did not complain when other previous appointments during their administration were retained.