KUALA LUMPUR: The government's initiative to separate the powers of the Attorney General (A-G) and the public prosecutor will culminate in an interim report, set to be presented to the Cabinet in 2025.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, underscored the government's commitment to this reform. She noted that the Cabinet had approved a comprehensive empirical study on Aug 16, 2023.
She explained that two special task forces have been established to explore the feasibility and implications of separating these roles, conducting the study in phases.
The first phase involves the Comparative Study Special Task Force, which includes representatives from the Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections, and Institutional Reform, Opposition members, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), and the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department (BHEUU, JPM).
This team has gathered evidence-based insights from countries such as England, Australia, and Canada, Azalina stated in a written reply on Wednesday (Nov 27).
In the second phase, the Technical Special Task Force is examining the legal, staffing, and financial implications of the proposed separation.
The third phase will involve engagement sessions with stakeholders, including the governments of Sabah and Sarawak, law enforcement agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (SPRM), as well as legal associations and constitutional experts.
"The preparation period for this interim report by the Technical Special Task Force is one year. This interim report, which includes recommendations, will be presented to the Cabinet for consideration in 2025," she added.
