Friday, June 27, 2014

AG's intervention boosts lawlessness, says MP


The attorney-general’s (AG) intervention in interfaith child custody disputes encourages lawlessness and shows disregard for judicial authorities, a PKR lawmaker claimed.

Padang Serai MP N Surendran (left) said the High Court had already made legally binding custody orders that the police are refusing to carry out.

“As chief legal adviser to the government, it is irresponsible and unlawful for the AG to now aid and abet the refusal by the inspector-general of police (IGP) to enforce the law.

“The AG should instead have upheld judicial authority by compelling the IGP to carry out the terms of the court order,” he said in a statement today, urging the AG to abandon his plans to intervene in the dispute.

He added that the AG has “no business” stepping in on personal disputes.

Yesterday, AG Abdul Gani Patail said he would intervene and seek to suspend both the custody orders from the civil and syariah courts, which would also save the IGP from contempt charges for refusing to enforce the orders.

He said this is necessary because the custody battles have become a matter of public interest, touching on religious sensitivities and interpretation of federal constitution’s provisions on the civil court and syariah court’s jurisdictions.

“The action to be an intervener at the Court of Appeal is taken to ensure there are no rising issues in both cases and that it could be resolved once and for all to ensure justice, peace and harmony.

“Besides this, for purpose of intervening in the proceedings in both cases, the Attorney-General’s Chambers will consider making an application to the Federal Court for a final decision over the constitutional questions that arise from both cases," he said.

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