PARLIAMENT | Following the charges filed against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho, de facto Deputy Law Minister Hanipa Maidin floated the possibility that a former attorney-general could also be brought to court.
Hanipa told Parliament today that such charges were once unthinkable, but are now within the realm of possibility, thanks to changes brought by the Pakatan Harapan-led government.
This is despite the fact that the government had not delivered on its election manifesto promise to separate the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor to avoid conflicts of interest because it does not have the two-thirds majority in Parliament to do so.
“All these while we only see prime ministers being charged in (South) Korea. After they fall from power, we see pictures of them being brought to court.
“For the first time in Malaysia, we have seen a former prime minister brought to court. We have also seen a mastermind in this case (Jho Low) charged in absentia. Previously, all these were unthinkable…
“Perhaps also, we think about whether an attorney-general could be charged. I don’t know if it would happen, but I believe this is not impossible under the current Pakatan Harapan government.
“Perhaps, for the first time in history, a sitting attorney-general will bring a former attorney-general to court. It is not impossible.
“This is why we feel that although there is still no separation of powers, no (legal) amendments to do so, we have already taken steps to show that we are serious in this matter,” Hanipa said during question time in the House.
He was responding to Johari Abdul (PKR-Sungai Petani, photo) who asked about the government’s progress in implementing its manifesto promise to separate the offices of the attorney-general and the public prosecutor.
Hanipa said this was important because a former attorney-general had been sacked from office just as he was about to press charges against a national leader.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PAS-Kubang Kerian) said this was not an issue of whether charges could be made, but the separation of powers must take place.
Umno supreme council member Ahmad Maslan (Umno-Pontian) pointed out that although the Attorney-General’s Chambers had pressed charges against a former prime minister, it has also dropped charges against a sitting minister.
“So, this needs to be viewed from various perspectives because it demands justice,” he said.
Ahmad was apparently referring to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s graft charges, which had been dropped by the AGC, which cited weakened evidence. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.