FROM GOVT OF HOPE INTO GOVT OF ROGUES? HOW LONG BEFORE ANWAR & CO ARE KICKED OUT? - BEFORE, ANWAR BLAMED OUTGOING AG FOR ZAHID'S DNAA - NOW, NEW AG AS GOOD AS CONFIRMS IT'S TEAM ANWAR MANIPULATING THE CABLES FROM BEHIND - NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS WHY ZAHID WAS DISCHARGED, IT'S MY SOLE RIGHT "PROTECTED" BY THE CONSTITUTION, SAYS ANWAR APPOINTEE AHMAD TERRIRUDIN
AG Ahmad Terrirudin says decision to prosecute or not ‘protected’ by Federal Constitution
Attorney General (AG) Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh today asserted his right to initiate and discontinue charges against an accused person as the public prosecutor is enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
He said that as the public prosecutor, he is not duty bound to furnish a reason to anyone on why criminal charges are made or why trials in court are dropped midway as long as the discretionary powers have been exercised lawfully and takes into consideration the evidence presented by the respective investigating bodies.
“The role of AG as the PP is well established and protected under Article 145 of the Federal Constitution,” he said in his maiden speech at the opening of the legal year 2024 here.
AG and PP are abbreviations for the attorney general and public prosecutor respectively.
“Therefore, it is pertinent at this juncture to emphasise that the office of the PP must be permitted to discharge its duties well within the confines of Federal Constitution,” Ahmad Terrirudin said.
He did not name anyone or refer to any specific case, but his remarks come in the wake of a legal challenge by the Malaysian Bar for a judicial review of the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted last year to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was accused of 47 counts of abusing millions of ringgit belonging to a charitable foundation called Yayasan Akalbudi.
The High Court granted the DNAA after the prosecutor requested to discontinue the trial. Malay Mail
Fundamental reforms better than FTPA, says Zaid
The government should look into implementing fundamental reforms and forget about a Fixed-term Parliament Act (FTPA), says former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.
Zaid said the proposed FTPA might have its advantages but will have its own set of challenges for the unity government, which comprises some 19 component parties.
"A large single party like the Conservatives or Labour controls the British government, and the fixed term is working because stability is assured, not by the fixed term but by the strength of the ruling party.
"Here, the coalition is large and porous. Movements of members are inevitable. Democracy here takes time to mature.
"Those in power must not be too anxious to rule for long periods by artificial means. When you are good and well-liked by the people, that’s the fixed term you will get. No need to legislate," he said in a posting on X on Monday (Jan 15).
"Here we are trying to strengthen a weak party by a fixed-term method. It’s like a party president who wants to rule by having no election. It’s an artificial stability," Zaid added.
He suggested that the unity government come up instead with fundamental reforms such as repealing the Sedition Act 1948 and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
"Do not weaponise institutions like the MACC. Make them independent," he urged.
Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who is the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms), said on Sunday (Jan 14) that an in-depth study will be made on the proposal for the FTPA.
On Saturday (Jan 13), Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said a specific law should be introduced to allow any government to complete its full five-year term. ANN
Make reforms the priority instead of fixed-term govt, says MP
Government backbencher Larry Sng says the fixed-term Parliament bill is undemocratic and would work against the parties in the current ruling coalition when they’re not in government.
Political leaders should focus on implementing reforms instead of pursuing a fixed-term government, a government backbencher says.
Julau MP Larry Sng, who is president of Parti Bangsa Malaysia, said the unity government should be prudent about the proposed fixed-term Parliament bill.
He said the proposed law is undemocratic. If introduced and passed by Parliament, the law would work against the parties in the current ruling coalition when they are no longer in power, he said.
“With more than a two-thirds majority in Parliament, the government should not be burdened by such rumours (of moves to unseat the government through defections by MPs).
“It should instead focus on passing much needed reforms within the next one to two years when it still has the political muscle, prior to the next general election,” the former Sarawak PKR chief said in a Facebook post.
Yesterday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi proposed the tabling of a special bill to prevent attempts at changing the government and to ensure an elected government remains for a full term. His proposal comes amid speculation about a so-called “Dubai Move” by opposition leaders to gain power.
Zahid’s proposal has met opposition from several quarters, including Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim of PKR and Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman Abang Johari Openg, with the latter saying the bill would go against MPs’ freedom of choice.
Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the legal affairs department will study the proposal before presenting the findings to the Cabinet for consideration. FMT
Written by Malay Mail, ANN, FMT
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