PETALING JAYA: The government has been urged to temporarily transfer the role of prosecutor from the attorney-general to the solicitor-general to ensure neutrality in all ongoing cases involving politicians.
Electoral watchdog Bersih said this was important to prevent the handling of these cases from being used as bargaining chips when forming the Cabinet under the new unity government.
It proposed this as a stopgap measure until the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) is reformed and the power to prosecute is separated from the AG and transferred to an independent Public Prosecution Office.
Bersih said those facing trial should not be part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet as it would raise doubts over the integrity of the government.
“Until and unless both the prosecution and the judiciary are absolutely free from political influence, it is unacceptable for politicians with outstanding court cases to be given any executive position,” it said in a statement.
“Any acquittals will be seen as the granting of impunity to those aligned with the executive, even if their cases genuinely merit acquittal. This would undermine the public trust in both the AGC and the judiciary.”
Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and former federal minister Rafidah Aziz are among those who have urged Anwar to exclude MPs facing trial from his Cabinet.
MPs with ongoing court cases include Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin.
The Anwar-led unity government comprises Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), with support from MPs from Muda, Warisan, Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) and independents. -FMT
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