Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has dismissed calls from the opposition to sack Attorney-General Tommy Thomas.
The premier said he does not show people the exit unless the individual has committed a serious mistake or offence.
“I am not in the business of firing people. Sometimes people make mistakes,” he added.
On the same note, Mahathir said he wished he could fire some opposition MPs.
“I also would like to sack some of the opposition members because they make a lot of mistakes, but we have the rule of law. So we obey the rule of law.
“Unless something very, very serious (happens), I do not fire people even though people have asked me to fire this person and that person,” he told reporters in Putrajaya this evening.
Umno and PAS leaders have been training their guns on Thomas since he was appointed and questioned the latter's actions along racial lines.
Calls for his head to roll intensified with regard to the death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim and the subsequent inquest.
Yesterday, Umno leaders, including party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, censured Thomas after the prosecution dropped two fresh charges against DAP assemblyperson P Gunasekaran, who is among the 12 accused of wanting to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
“Why does the AG have double-standards for suspects in the LTTE case that involves prosecution under Sosma compared to those who have been arrested, charged and punished for lesser offences?
“Is it because those arrested this time are leaders and DAP supporters?” asked Zahid.
However, Thomas told Malaysiakini this afternoon that the charges were dropped because the Seremban Jaya assemblyperson was already facing similar charges under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).
“So there is no need for overkill. It is, therefore, a lie to claim that all charges against Gunasekaran were dropped,” he said, pointing out that Gunasekaran faces life imprisonment if convicted over the other charges.
Yesterday, Gunasekaran's lawyer RSN Rayer told Malaysiakini that the prosecution made an e-filing to bring two new charges against his client at the Seremban Sessions Court.
"But the prosecution informed that they will not be proceeding with the charges.
"So I told them the proper way to withdraw the charges is in open court and they applied to the presiding judge to withdraw the charges," said Rayer.
Following this, Sessions Court judge Madihah Harullah allowed the application submitted by DPP Aslinda Ahad.
According to the aborted charges, Gunasekaran, who is still in prison, allegedly had LTTE-related items in his office and house in Seremban at 9.58 am and 11.50 am, respectively, on Oct 10. - Mkini
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