A law and justice ministry is not expected to be set up anytime soon as the two portfolios are best kept under the watchful eye of the prime minister himself through his department.

Establishing a new law and justice ministry is not viable as it involves issues of seniority and budget allocations, de facto Law Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said in his opening speech at the International Legal Aid Conference in Kuala Lumpur last night .

"If a law and justice ministry were to be set up, it will be a junior ministry out of 29 others. The chances of getting a big budget allocation will be difficult because I will have to compete against other established ministries."

"If the law and justice (department) is under the PM's Department, it is easier for me to obtain bigger (budget) allocations. I do not have to fight with others for extra allocation," he said.

"I can get what I want for the law and justice department because the allocation for the PM's Department is huge. It is only for me to ask to get what I want." he explained.

Nazri also stressed that the law and justice ministry requires special consideration as it deals with matters that are too important for any other minister (other than the PM) to deal with.

"It is not because law and justice are not important. It is the opposite."

"It is because it is too important that it should not be just be one of the many ministries in the country. It should be under the super ministry of the Prime Minister's Department."

The Justice Ministry was abolished in 1995. Current Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was the last minister to hold the post.

Constitutional hurdles

Nazri also said there were constitutional considerations in setting up the law and justice ministry.

"This ministry also includes the judiciary. It is in charge of appointing judges. But this is unconstitutional because only the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong can appoint judges."

"It is thus wrong and unconstitutional for the PM to delegate such powers to the ministry of law and justice," he added.

"The PM is the best person for the job. I'm just the minister coordinating but in the end, the bus stops with the prime minister. To put law and justice under a separate ministry may not indicate our seriousness as compared to placing it under the PM's Department."

"The law and justice department will get the attention from the country's number one man who is elected by the people and the government. He should take full responsibility for the law and justice department," Nazri added.

The three-day conference which ends tomorrow is jointly organised by the Legal Affairs Division in the Prime Minister's Department, the Bar Council and the Legal Aid Bureau.

About 200 people, including law administrators from the Asian and Pacific region, are attending the event.