FMT:
Spotlight on AG with several high-profile matters pending
Attorney-General Idrus Harun will need to consider representations by deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the recent acquittal of former prime minister Najib Razak.
The tenure of Attorney-General Idrus Harun’s appointment was extended for another six months last week and will now end in September.
PETALING JAYA: The spotlight will be on Attorney-General (AG) Idrus Harun as the public awaits to see how he handles several high-profile cases involving politicians and a sitting judge, a lawyer said.
Rafique Rashid Ali said Idrus, who as AG is guardian of public interest, would now be put to the “acid test”.
The lawyer, a former co-chair of the Bar Council’s criminal law committee, said this following last week’s announcement that Idrus’ tenure will be extended for a second time, but this time only for a term of six months ending in September.
Idrus, a former Federal Court judge, was appointed for a two-year term in 2020 and obtained a one-year extension last year.
Rafique said it is public knowledge that deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is facing corruption charges, has submitted representations to the AG in a bid to stop the prosecution of criminal cases brought against him.
On Sept 23 last year, Justice Yazid Mustafa ruled the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Zahid on 40 corruption charges in the foreign visa (VLN) system case.
In January, Zahid’s legal team lodged representations calling for the prosecution to discontinue its appeal from his acquittal.
Lawyers for the Umno president have also made representations that a second case against him be dropped.
Zahid is accused of 47 counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister between 2013 and 2018.
This matter before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah is at the defence stage after the judge ruled the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him. Six witnesses have taken the stand for the defence so far.
FMT is made to understand that representations in both matters were made earlier this year. Idrus had previously said he would leave the matter for his successor to determine. However, the extension to his term means he will have to look into the matter himself.
“I hope in his capacity as public prosecutor, he will act without fear or favour,” Rafique said.
He also said Idrus must enlighten the public on the next steps he intends to take with respect to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigations into Court of Appeal judge Nazlan Ghazali.
On April 22 last year, MACC said it had opened investigation papers following a report lodged about an unexplained sum of more than RM1 million in Nazlan’s bank account. However, on Feb 24, the Federal Court ruled those investigations breached protocols required to be observed when investigating members of the judiciary.
Rafique said the public would also be watching keenly to see whether Idrus will instruct his officers to file an appeal against Najib’s acquittal in the 1MDB audit tampering case.
Trial judge Zaini Mazlan held that although references to four items were removed from the 1MDB audit report, those amendments did not give rise to the possibility of civil or criminal proceedings being brought against Najib.
The prosecution has 14 days from March 3 to file a notice of appeal.
Another senior lawyer said he believes uncertainty will cloud the next six months as Idrus had failed to bring meaningful reform to the Attorney-General’s Chambers since his appointment in 2020.
“Some heads of department appear not to have provided leadership and guidance to their subordinates,” said the lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He hopes Idrus will engage with the public and the media to explain his decisions.
“This will go a long way to assure the public that the prosecution has credible evidence which, if properly presented, could lead to conviction.
“It will also allay misgivings the public may have about alleged political persecution,” he said.
He cited recent charges brought against former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan and businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad for soliciting and accepting bribes linked to the Jana Wibawa initiative.
PETALING JAYA: The spotlight will be on Attorney-General (AG) Idrus Harun as the public awaits to see how he handles several high-profile cases involving politicians and a sitting judge, a lawyer said.
Rafique Rashid Ali said Idrus, who as AG is guardian of public interest, would now be put to the “acid test”.
The lawyer, a former co-chair of the Bar Council’s criminal law committee, said this following last week’s announcement that Idrus’ tenure will be extended for a second time, but this time only for a term of six months ending in September.
Idrus, a former Federal Court judge, was appointed for a two-year term in 2020 and obtained a one-year extension last year.
Rafique said it is public knowledge that deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is facing corruption charges, has submitted representations to the AG in a bid to stop the prosecution of criminal cases brought against him.
On Sept 23 last year, Justice Yazid Mustafa ruled the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Zahid on 40 corruption charges in the foreign visa (VLN) system case.
In January, Zahid’s legal team lodged representations calling for the prosecution to discontinue its appeal from his acquittal.
Lawyers for the Umno president have also made representations that a second case against him be dropped.
Zahid is accused of 47 counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust involving millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister between 2013 and 2018.
This matter before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah is at the defence stage after the judge ruled the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him. Six witnesses have taken the stand for the defence so far.
FMT is made to understand that representations in both matters were made earlier this year. Idrus had previously said he would leave the matter for his successor to determine. However, the extension to his term means he will have to look into the matter himself.
“I hope in his capacity as public prosecutor, he will act without fear or favour,” Rafique said.
He also said Idrus must enlighten the public on the next steps he intends to take with respect to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigations into Court of Appeal judge Nazlan Ghazali.
On April 22 last year, MACC said it had opened investigation papers following a report lodged about an unexplained sum of more than RM1 million in Nazlan’s bank account. However, on Feb 24, the Federal Court ruled those investigations breached protocols required to be observed when investigating members of the judiciary.
Rafique said the public would also be watching keenly to see whether Idrus will instruct his officers to file an appeal against Najib’s acquittal in the 1MDB audit tampering case.
Trial judge Zaini Mazlan held that although references to four items were removed from the 1MDB audit report, those amendments did not give rise to the possibility of civil or criminal proceedings being brought against Najib.
The prosecution has 14 days from March 3 to file a notice of appeal.
Another senior lawyer said he believes uncertainty will cloud the next six months as Idrus had failed to bring meaningful reform to the Attorney-General’s Chambers since his appointment in 2020.
“Some heads of department appear not to have provided leadership and guidance to their subordinates,” said the lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He hopes Idrus will engage with the public and the media to explain his decisions.
“This will go a long way to assure the public that the prosecution has credible evidence which, if properly presented, could lead to conviction.
“It will also allay misgivings the public may have about alleged political persecution,” he said.
He cited recent charges brought against former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan and businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad for soliciting and accepting bribes linked to the Jana Wibawa initiative.
It's a smart play to extend this hand tied AG for another 6months.
ReplyDeleteHe has to 'finished' off all those remnant picky issues of PN.
What's better than using a puppeteered proxy to punish his string pullers?
This AG would have no choice but to toe the lines drawn by the power at Putrajaya. He himself has tons of shit overhanging his head!