Azalina: AG and PP roles set for split after bipartisan support; parliamentary vote expected in June
The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026 to separate the role of the public prosecutor from that of the attorney general is planned to be presented in the Dewan Rakyat in June, according to de facto law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. — File picture by Shafwan Zaidon
Monday, 16 Mar 2026 1:52 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — Both Opposition and government MPs agree that the roles of Attorney General (AG) and Public Prosecutor (PP) should be separated, with the government aiming to bring the Bill for the split to Parliament in June, said law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
She added that while MPs broadly support the separation, some details still need to be finalised before seeking the two-thirds majority required to amend the Federal Constitution.
“It seems all Opposition and government MPs agreed that the split, the separation is needed, but we have to scrutinise a few matters in more detail, so that all MPs in all blocs can have a joint consensus and we can bring this amendment in the June session and we can get two-thirds. More than two-thirds if all agree,” she said in a press conference at the Parliament building here.
Since the Bill to separate the AG and PP roles involves amendments to the Federal Constitution, it must secure the support of at least two-thirds of the 222 MPs to pass in the Dewan Rakyat.
The Bill is also known as the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026.
The Bill aims to separate the AG’s current dual roles of being the government’s chief legal adviser and the public prosecutor into two separate positions to be held by two different persons.
The Bill for the AG-PP split was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat for first reading on February 23, and was tabled for second reading on March 3 but was not debated on as it was referred to a bipartisan Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) for it to propose changes to the Bill.
Azalina had earlier chaired the bipartisan Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) meeting on the Bill for the proposed AG-PP split.
This 12-member PSCC is composed of members from various political parties, namely Selayang MP William Leong Jee Keen, Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, Alor Gajah MP Adly Zahari, Parit Sulong MP Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad, Lubok Antu MP Roy Angau Gingkoi, Tawau MP Datuk Lo Su Fui, Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh, Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, Kota Bharu MP Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, Beluran MP Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
In the PSSC’s first meeting today, all of its members were able to attend, except for Tawau MP Lo and Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin for unavoidable reasons.
Azalina said the PSSC today only had a general discussion about the Bill, adding that it will look at the entire Bill including five main areas (appointment process, qualification to be appointed, tenure and age limit, termination mechanism, and accountability to Parliament).
The PSSC will be inviting legal experts and academics to give their views, and will also seek input from statutory bodies and civil society including the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), the Malaysian Bar, the Sabah Law Society, Advocates Association of Sarawak, BERSIH, Rasuah Busters, C4 Center, Projek SAMA, Ikram, CSO Platform for Reform, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), and Transparency International Malaysia.
Azalina said the non-governmental organisations can present their objections, proposals, criticisms and alternative options.
She said the PSSC will be meeting again on five more dates from April 9 to May 18, with the hope of finalising the committee’s statement on suggested changes to the Bill.
Apart from looking at how the Bill could be improved, Azalina indicated that the PSSC’s role would be to get buy-in from all political parties for their MPs to vote in favour of the Bill.
“But most important is to get all the members that is representing their party bloc, we hope by the end of the meetings that we have set, that we can come with support and a compromise on both sides of the aisles,” she said.
She said it would be important for the PSSC members to understand the issues, suggestions, counter-suggestions, and academic opinions on the Bill and for them to bring it back to their political blocs to secure votes for the Bill: “Because we hope we are able to get the commitment of them through representing their party to get us the numbers.”
“But after attending this first meeting, I find it’s quite promising to see everyone’s quite onboard. Most important is the split is needed. There must be the split and it must be done this year if possible,” she said.
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