Aliran agrees with Zaid, no need for world tours to split AG, PP roles

Reform movement Aliran agreed with former law minister Zaid Ibrahim that there is no need to tour the world with a large entourage in tow to find out how to go about separating the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.

Therefore, its central executive committee urged the government not to drag on this much-awaited reform.

“No effort should be spared, as this reform is worth pursuing,” it added in a statement.

Aliran pointed out that Malaysians who care about justice have been asking for the separation of the functions because these two roles can contradict each other at times.

“The government’s objective or action may not necessarily be in the interest of the common people.

“The attorney-general-cum-public prosecutor could find it difficult to straddle these two roles. It is a predicament that could undermine justice and democracy.

“Given the gravity of this matter, we would have expected Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said and her legal team to expedite the reform process,” it added.

‘Scotland is heavenly’

On Wednesday, Azalina told the Dewan Rakyat that the separation must be done responsibly and cannot be rushed.

“We must ensure the process is well-structured and based on solid grounds. That is why we are taking the time to conduct thorough studies before making any final decisions,” she added.

The government is conducting empirical studies on the separation of powers in Canada, Australia and the UK.

From May 5 to 10, Azalina led a bipartisan delegation to Canada and later to Australia from June 2 to 6.

Subsequently, Zaid, in a Facebook post loaded with sarcasm, suggested that the minister embark on another tour to Scotland, which he described as heavenly.

“Yes, splitting the powers of the AG and the public prosecutor is a tough assignment

“The minister needs another year or two. It’s better after the next election in 2027 so the major assignments could be done and completed before that,” he said.

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