Syed Saddiq fears AG-PP split may be delayed by 5 years if bill not tabled

 The Muar MP says separation of powers will not happen unless the issues are resolved before the next general election.

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman urged stakeholders to find common ground, saying even partial reform of the law would be meaningful.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 Muda’s Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman fears that a proposed law to split the roles of the attorney-general and the public prosecutor may not see the light of day for the next five years.

Speaking at a forum on the separation of powers between the attorney-general and public prosecutor, the Muar MP cautioned that if the bill is not tabled before the next general election, the separation of roles would be delayed.

“This is my biggest worry,” he said at the event held at the Malaysian Bar headquarters today.

Syed Saddiq said that at a recent closed-door meeting, “lines were clearly drawn”, referring to conflicting demands from multiple groups, including the opposition, bureaucrats and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

He said that if these issues were not ironed out, he was concerned that the separation of powers “will not happen for a very long time”.

On April 16, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the government hoped to find a “middle ground” before June as it moves to split the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.

She said Putrajaya is continuing to gather views from NGOs, the AGC and political parties ahead of tabling the constitutional amendments.

On March 3, the government announced that the bill to separate the dual functions of the attorney-general had been postponed and referred to a newly established parliamentary committee.

Syed Saddiq said that without compromise, the reform risks being abandoned, as it could be seen as a divisive issue not worth pursuing.

He said political resistance could also stem from how the reform is perceived, making it harder to secure support.

Despite this, he reiterated Azalina’s call and urged stakeholders to find common ground, saying even partial reform would be meaningful.

“If we get something that improves it by even 50% or 60%, we should start with that,” he said. - FMT