Azalina, delegation in Australia for empirical study on AG-PP separation

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said headed a Malaysian delegation to Australia to continue the empirical study on the structure and separation of powers of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.

Azalina in a statement yesterday said the working visit from June 2 to 6, included her deputy M Kulasegaran, Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections and Institutional Reform chairman William Leong and opposition bloc representative Awang Hashim.

Others in the delegation were officers from the Prime Minister’s Department’s Legal Affairs Division, Attorney-General’s Chambers and president of the Malaysian Bar.

Azalina said the agenda for the empirical study had started with a round table discussion organised by the division, Monash University Australia and Universiti Islam Antarabangsa with experts in the field.

“(It) was aimed at providing ways to ease the dialogue regarding the structure and roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor practised in Malaysia and Australia.

“Professor Marilyn Pittard, the Interim Dean of Monash University’s Law Faculty held the session. A total of 50 experts from both countries as members of the panel and special lecturers attended,” she said.

Meetings

Azalina said among those involved were Malaysia’s constitutional expert Assoc Professor Shamrahayu Ab Aziz and former chief crown prosecutor and director of Public Prosecutions of Victoria, Paul Coghlan.

Also present were representatives of civil community organisations and NGOs like the Human Rights Commission, Projek Sama, CSO Platform for Reform and All Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Integrity, Governance and Anti-Corruption.

Azalina added that when in Canberra, the delegation had a discussion with the deputy director of Public Prosecutions Australia Mark de Crespigny, and officers from the Director of Public Prosecutions office (Australia).

The highlight of the visit was a meeting with Australia’s Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus for two rounds of bilateral discussions about the current system adopted in Australia and to understand the process of prosecution and structure of the Public Prosecutions Office in Australia.

“I also had the opportunity to meet Australia’s Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and Deputy Foreign Minister Tim Watts at the Australian Parliament Building to discuss various topics that had mutual benefits to both countries,” she said.

Azalina said the Malaysian delegation also had an opportunity to engage in several dialogue sessions on institutional reforms with Malaysian students and professionals who are in Melbourne and Canberra.

- Bernama