The opposition and several non-governmental organisations handed in a memorandum to members of parliament today to condemn the controversial appointment of Abdul Gani Patail as the new attorney-general.

The memorandum claimed that de facto law minister Dr Rais Yatim, who made the appointment of the AG on Nov 19, had "insulted" the Conference of Rulers and "set aside" their constitutional role.

Rais was also accused of being "rude for discarding the moral ethics" of the people who revered the Conference of Malay Rulers.

"This indicates clearly the attitude of the ruling party and the Barisan Nasional government who thinks nothing of the principles of a constitutional monarchy," said PAS youth chief Mahfuz Omar, who read out the memo.

The group, comprising Barisan Alternatif youth wings and four NGOs, submitted the three-page memo to Parliament speaker Mohamed Zahir Ismail and opposition leader Fadzil Noor today.

A memorandum will also be submitted to the new King and Conference of Rulers once His Majesty is appointed into office, said the group.

The group also demanded that Rais apologise to the people for his "rudeness" as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Unconstitutional

Several quarters have protested Gani's premature appointment as unconstitutional.

According to DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang, Rais announced Gani's appointment on the same day that first woman AG Ainum Mohd Saaid handed in her resignation letter.

On top of that, it was made when the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was terminally ill. His Majesty passed away on Nov 21, which meant that Gani's appointment have not received royal consent, Lim added.

However, the chief secretary to the government Samsudin Osman on Friday told Bernama that the deputy Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, had given his consent as the acting King.

The next day, The Star quoted Rais as saying that royal consent to Abdul Gani's appointment was obtained last Friday.

Credibility questioned

The government was also asked to set up a royal commission of inquiry to investigate Gani's credibility as AG.

Mahfuz argued that the government also erred in appointing Gani as his status was never considered equivalent to a Federal Court judge and was thus not qualified to be AG.

Article 145 (1) of the Constitution states that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall, on the advice of the prime minister, appoint a person who is qualified as a Federal Court judge as attorney-general.

"Gani is not the person who can be trusted by the people nor is he the right person to uphold the rule of law in this country," said Mahfuz.

Gani gained notoriety as the chief public prosecutor in ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy and corruption trials. He was alleged to have coerced witness S Nallakaruppan to fabricate evidence against Anwar in exchange for a lighter sentence.

Death sentence

Nallakaruppan, who was Anwar's tennis partner, was charged with illegal possession of firearms which, if convicted, carries a mandatory death sentence.

In a related court case on the matter, the Federal Court had said that Abdul Gani should provide "some answers to the allegations of fabrication of evidence".

Gani was also alleged to have protected International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz from prosecution on five charges of corruption.

The NGOs backing the memo are People's Manifesto Initiative, Women's Candidacy Initiative, National Human Rights Society and Suaram, Voice of the Malaysian People.

Others present were Keadilan deputy Youth chief Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, vice-president Low Chee Cheong, PRM youth leaders Faisal Sanusi and Latheefa Koya. Yap Swee Seng represented the NGOs.