KUALA LUMPUR – DAP and PKR politicians have called out Umno’s Datuk Seri Azalina Othman on her alleged self-contradictions in wanting a government-friendly attorney-general (AG).
DAP’s Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham said Azalina, a former deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, was going against the rule of law with such a call, while PKR women’s wing vice-president Sangetha Jayakumar said the Pengerang MP was being hypocritical.
This follows Azalina’s speech at Umno’s special briefing on Saturday where she said a prime minister should rightfully appoint an AG “from his own people”.
“It is shocking of Azalina to make a call at the Umno special briefing for the prime minister to appoint an AG from amongst their own. She is saying the PM should appoint an AG who will act according to the PM’s dictates, including abusing the power of the AG acting as public prosecutor to withdraw charges against the corrupt,” Ngeh said in a statement today.
He said potential abuse by the executive of the Attorney-General’s Chambers “is real”.
“The public prosecutor should be made answerable to Parliament rather than to the PM.
“Azalina as a special adviser to the prime minister for law and human rights has proven unfit to advise the PM on governing the nation based on the rule of law. She should resign from her post immediately,” Ngeh added.
Sangetha, meanwhile, noted Azalina’s double-speak, at times talking about non-partisanship in Parliament and yet urging the prime minister to appoint an AG who is “one of our own”.
“You want an independent legislature and biased appointments at the same time. The hypocrisy of the entire situation is sickening,” Sangetha said in a statement.
On Saturday, Azalina, who is also an Umno supreme council member, claimed it was the norm for democratic countries to appoint their AGs from the ranks of the ruling coalition or from among its supporters.
The special Umno briefing that day was held to rally the party following the jailing of its ex-president and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak after the Federal Court upheld his conviction and sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial last Tuesday.
In the past, Azalina had called for prosecutorial powers to be separated from the AG’s office.
“The AG’s post ought to be an independent office,” she said then.
The trained lawyer has also supported calls for reforming the Attorney-General’s Chambers, including through a royal commission of inquiry. – The Vibes, August 29, 2022
