AG should not interfere with police probe on MACC chief

YOURSAY | “By setting up a task force, the AG is doing the police’s job.”

AGC sets up task force to monitor probe on MACC chief

Ferdtan: The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has set up a special task force to monitor investigations into an alleged extramarital affair involving Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Dzulkifli Ahmad.

This is wrong. The investigative arm is the police. The AGC is the prosecution branch whose duty is to rely on investigative papers submitted to them by the police or other agencies like the MACC, in order to conduct transparent reviews on whether crimes have been committed.

The AGC must avoid assuming two roles: the power to investigate (in this case dubiously through the role of a special task force to monitor the police investigation) and the role of prosecutor to bring charges to be heard in the court.

Otherwise, the AGC could be seen as interfering in the police investigation by overseeing its role, directly or indirectly.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali is the last person we Malaysians have much faith in.

So when he steps into this important case at this juncture, when it is not his job to do so, we have to ask the question - will this be another response of “no further action” again, similar to the 1MDB scandal?

Vijay47: I don't know whether to laugh or to cry, that we have a body like the AG's Chambers to "monitor the investigation" by the police on a person like Dzulkifli.

All three parties have long lost the respect and credibility they never had, linked as they are by the same 1MDB thread and abysmal failure in other cases.

All three parties, in their own unique way, are seen as agents of Umno, with a sacred duty to weaken or bring down the opposition through whatever means they can.

Towards this objective, they have refined their act to appear to be catholic in their selection of those falling under their attention, with lesser players having big bank accounts also being dragged into the net.

With the pitiful track record they have, Apandi, Khalid Abu Bakar when he was IGP (inspector-general of police), and Dzulkifli should have long resigned from their posts; the new IGP hasn't had enough time to damage his reputation.

Instead, they prance about, arrogant and smug, not even believing that the public has any trust or hope in them.

RR: I don't understand why the top officials in our country often make silly mistakes in the administration of their functions and make a laughing stock of themselves in the eyes of the world.

The power to investigate an offence or wrongdoing is vested in the IGP and the police. The function of prosecuting or abandoning an offence or seeking more evidence for a charge is vested in the AG and his chambers.

By setting up a task force, the AG is doing the job of the police and thereby casting more doubts in the minds of the people on the MACC chief.

I hope the top officials follow the proper protocol for their own respect and dignity.

Politician: Why didn’t the AG form a special task force to monitor investigations into 1MDB? The allegations were a lot more serious and many police reports were lodged too. It allegedly involves the prime minister and Malaysia’s integrity.

Is the AG sending a message that the prime minister and the nation are not important? Why the selective prosecution, Apandi?

Not Convinced: Politician, the AG did form a special task force to investigate the 1MDB scandal in 2015.

That task force was set up by then AG Abdul Gani Patail in the wake of The Wall Street Journal’s expose of billions of ringgit found in Prime MInister Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts, and it involved the MACC, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and Bank Negara.

But the task force was disbanded a couple of months later, along with the “sacking” of Gani. Apandi, who was then a Federal Court judge, was subsequently specially picked by Najib to replace Gani.

Soon after, then MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed stepped down – two years before his term expires.

He was replaced by someone from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Dzulkifli, considered a right-hand man of Apandi and believed to have played a key role in helping clear Najib over the RM2.6 billion matter.

So why did Apandi form this task force to “monitor” the police investigation into Dzulkifli’s alleged affair? Your guess is as good as mine.

Anonymous_142479416: The poor woman has already come out, saying don’t blame anyone but her. That’s already an implied admission, isn’t it? Plus, flight and immigration records will very quickly piece up the jigsaw.

While I sympathise with both of them and their family members as I’m sure they have kids. Unfortunately, I think he was ambushed and caught red-handed.

Whether it’s a smear campaign or otherwise, it’s not the point now. He should now do what his conscience tells him to do.

Bluemountains: The evidence is as clear as daylight and yet the authorities deem it necessary to have a task force. Whatever for?

I am sure such video will keep appearing if the authorities, including the religious authorities, refuse to act.

The couple officially divorced in September 2017, whereas the video showed the MACC chief and the woman holidaying in Bali in July 2017 (before the divorce).

Do I hear any comments from the religious authorities?- Mkini