Abdul Gani Patail should answer two allegations of obstructing justice during his tenure as the prosecution division chief at the Attorney-General's Chambers before assuming the post of AG, said an opposition leader today.

DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang said the Parliament should summon Abdul Gani before the House to answer those allegations.

"The allegations are threatening a witness to fabricate evidence against [former deputy prime minister] Anwar Ibrahim and not prosecuting [International Trade and Industry Minister] Rafidah Aziz [for abuse of power]," said Lim in a statement.

It is crucial for Parliament to find out whether Abdul Gani is committed to restoring public confidence in the judiciary or regressing to "the dark legal age of recent past", he added.

Abdul Gani's appointment was announced yesterday. He will take over as the new AG on Jan 1 following the resignation of Ainum Mohamed Saaid, Malaysia's first woman to hold the post.

Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution states that the AG has full power to "initiate, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence".

Political conspiracy

The Sabah-born Abdul Gani drew attention, both domestic and international, when he led the prosecuting team in Anwar's corruption and sodomy cases heard in 1998 and 1999 respectively.

Anwar was subsequently found guilty of both offences and jailed for a total of 15 years. However, he claimed to be a victim of the political conspiracy orchestrated by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a charge the government denies.

In late 1998, during the corruption trial of Anwar, the former deputy premier's tennis partner S Nallakaruppan, through his lawyer, claimed to have been threatened by Abdul Gani and another senior prosecutor, Azahar Mohamed, to testify against Anwar.

Anwar's defence counsel Zainur Zakaria had applied to dismiss both the prosecutors but it was rejected by the High Court.

Zainur was subsequently convicted for contempt of court and sentenced to a three-month jail term.

However, in June this year, the Federal Court quashed the initial ruling on Zainur and said Abdul Gani should have clarified the allegation against him of threatening witnesses.

During the corruption trial, Anwar also claimed that in 1995, Abdul Gani wrote in a document to him that there was substantial evidence to prosecute Rafidah who was alleged to have awarded her son-in-law with preferential bumiputra shares.

However, Rafidah denied the allegation and was never charged in court.

Justice a victim

Lim today questioned Abdul Gani's credibility to be the new AG, naming him as one of those responsible for tarnishing the image of the Malaysian judiciary.

"The propriety of Abdul Gani's appointment was most debatable because of his role in reducing our judiciary to an international scandal which has invited an avalanche of adverse criticisms," he said.

He said public concern about the fragility of judicial and legal reforms "has now reached a crescendo with Abdul Gani's appointment as the new AG".

Last December, Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah and Ainum took office as the Chief Justice and AG respectively, prompting positive remarks from civil groups and opposition that the appointments could raise public confidence in the judiciary.

However, citing health reasons, Ainum tended her resignation last week. Dzaiddin's term will expire next year on retirement.

Meanwhile, Anwar's wife, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Abdul Gani's appointment was a promotion as he successfully prosecuted her husband.

"I am sure he (Mahathir) has a hand in this as this appointment speaks volumes of the Malaysian judiciary," she added.

Penang-based social movement Aliran said it was "utterly dismayed and disappointed" with the appointment of Abdul Gani as the new A-G.

"His appointment begs the question: What is integrity all about?" questioned its president P Ramakrishnan in a statement.

"Justice itself has fallen victim with this appointment. Whatever hope there may have been for change is brutally reversed. Sadly, it is back to the bad old days," he added.

Meanwhile Human Rights watchdog Suaram said the appointment was politically motivated and was "a move that will not lend credence towards efforts to redeem the judiciary".

Suaram executive director Cynthia Gabriel said in a statement that Abdul Gani's appointment could turn the clock back to the dark ages of administration of law, experienced by Malaysians under the leadership of former AG Mohtar Abdullah.