Govt may refer proposal separating AG, public prosecutor’s roles to PSC

 

The government is still conducting studies on the proposal to separate the public prosecutor’s office from the attorney-general’s chambers.

PETALING JAYA: Putrajaya is still conducting studies on the proposal to separate the public prosecutor’s office from the attorney-general’s chambers (AGC), says law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said.

In a written parliamentary reply, Azalina said the government was also studying the need to refer the matter to a select committee.

“This is so that the matter can be studied holistically by taking into account the views of MPs from the government and opposition blocs,” she said.

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Azalina added that the previous government’s Cabinet had on June 15, 2022, decided to postpone the matter to allow for further studies by the AGC.

This was in view of the massive financial and legal implications the move would have, she said.

She was responding to a question from Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) on the status of separating the public prosecutor’s office from that of the AGC.

In December last year, Azalina had said plans to study the feasibility of separating both offices were under way following a meeting with the legal affairs department and Solicitor-General Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh.

On March 8, Azalina said talks with the relevant stakeholders needed to be held before the government could move towards realising the separation of roles.

Electoral reform report

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Separately, Azalina said a special Cabinet committee would study the 2020 electoral reform committee report, which contained 49 recommendations for the government.

The committee, which was formed in August 2018, submitted its report in August 2020 when Muhyiddin Yassin was prime minister. The report remains embargoed.

Azalina said she expected a Cabinet paper containing the comments of the relevant ministries and agencies on the report to be presented to the Cabinet tomorrow.

“The special committee will look into the recommendations and study whether they are suitable to be implemented. This is because the recommendations concern legalities and the jurisdiction of various ministries.

“The recommendations also require changes to the electoral system as well as legal amendments, including amendments to the Federal Constitution.”

She was responding to a question from Dr Kelvin Yii (PH-Bandar Kuching), on the government’s commitment to implement the electoral reform committee’s recommendations, and the timeline for this. - FMT