Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said revealed that attorney-general Apandi Ali had cautioned the government that a discussion on the RM2.6 billion issue would be sub judice.

She said this when quizzed why Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak did not address the House on the matter this morning and delegated the task to his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi instead.

"The government is advised by the attorney-general that matters pertaining to the (ongoing) investigation cannot be discussed. This will be a sub judice," she told a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

"So the government made a decision to answer it in a ministeral statement, so we would be able to inform the House of the latest status," she said.

However, it could not be ascertained if the AG's advice was also the reason behind Zahid's brief three-minute response which did not shed any new light on the contentious issue.

"The best we can do is to give out a ministerial statement," she stressed.

On Nov 5, Azalina said the controversial RM2.6 billion donation issues would be answered at a question-and-answer session at Dewan Rakyat.

This, however, turned into a three-minute ministerial statement read out by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"Even if we answered this in a question-and-answer session, we will read the answer given out by the AG. Again there would be uncertainty and dissatisfaction," she said, added the ministerial statement was the best resolution.

It would be sub judice for the prime minister to come to Dewan Rakyat and answer the RM2.6 billion donation himself, she said.

She said Apandi was acting as the government’s legal counsel.

"Let's take an example that you are being probed by the police for theft. The police and public want to ask you about it, and you get advice from a lawyer.

"The attorney-general is the lawyer for the government. You must understand how the attorney-general works with solicitor-general.

“As far as the government is concern, we are guided by the attorney-general," she said.

She also quizzed on why the government should be involved since Najib said he received the RM2.6 billion as a political donation.

To this, she said, the government still needs to be guided by the attorney-general.

"It is still pending investigation," she reiterated.

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