Defending AG, Ali Biju blasts former Harapan colleagues for propaganda, half-truths

 

Saratok MP Ali Biju has taken a swing at his former colleagues in Pakatan Harapan after its presidential council accused Attorney-General (AG) Idrus Harun of treason and demanded his removal.

This came after Idrus publicly said it was up to the cabinet to decide when Parliament can be convened and that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's discretion is not applicable in this case.

“If not for the incredible seriousness of the matter, I find these accusations wholly absurd and laughable.

“It is clearly mischievous of the presidential council to conveniently ignore the reason why the AG issued a statement in the first place, which was that the AG clearly stated he was responding to various views, statements and opinions on the role of the monarch within the Federal Constitution swirling in the public sphere, which were erroneous and misleading.

“Therefore, the AG in his capacity as the chief lawyer of the government not only has a moral duty but more importantly, a public duty to clarify and explain to the public the correct interpretation of the Constitution and what constitutional monarchy means within the context of the Federal Constitution,” Ali said in a statement.

Ali, who was elected as Saratok MP and Krian assemblyperson under the PKR banner, was one of those who defected as part of the Sheraton Move. He is now deputy energy and natural resources minister in Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's administration. 

He didn’t hold back in a withering assessment of his former colleagues.

“Harapan and its supporters have been in overdrive lately poisoning the minds of the public with false propaganda and malicious half-truths regarding the interpretation of the constitutional monarchy,” he said.

Ali said that he considered Idris had acted well within his role to bring clarity to the matter and he should be commended, not vilified.

“This latest accusation that the AG is guilty of treason is outrageously ludicrous, grossly misleading and yet another attempt at defrauding the public.

“Why demand that he resign when he was just doing his job?

“I call on my friends in Harapan to cease this deliberate and brazen foolery of the public and to instead get serious in working with the government in combating the real crises facing the country,” he added.  - Mkini