I WOULD like to welcome the recent announcement by William Leong Jee Keen, the chairman of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform, to initiate a proceeding to further deliberate on the separation of powers between the attorney-general and public prosecutor and to study the federal constitution for necessary amendments.
The legal system has been long entrenched in the federal constitution by providing the executive too much power in appointing the Attorney-General, judiciary and law enforcement bodies.
This has invited accusations by the current oppositionists that the executive branch of the government, namely the Prime Minister’s Office, has been accused of interfering in the legal process, involving several high-profile cases and politicians such as the acquittal of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and 1MDB former CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy for the alleged tampering of the auditor-general’s audit report on 1MDB, former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin being acquitted of four charges involving abuse of power and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi being granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for his graft cases.
Justice must be seen to be served manifestly only when all divides are involved in the reformation of our justice system, including the NGOs and civil society, the oppositionists and the members of the unity government. Hence, the all-party PSSC is the most suitable platform to gather input from all divides to forge a convincing reform of the justice system and further substantive institutional reforms.
Other former prime ministers who were involved in appointing top civil servants and law enforcement officers including attorney-generals and MACC chiefs shall be called as key witnesses as to how they were reluctant to reform the justice system as they themselves have alleged the justice system has failed.
As the longest-serving prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad led the government for as long as 22 years and 22 months, and he even set up the Council of Eminent Persons and the formation of a five-member Committee on Institutional Reforms, whose report has never been published.
Tan Sri Muhhydin Yassin as a previous prime minister who appointed the former attorney-general and MACC chief should be called as a key witness as to why the allegations of executive interference in the high-profile corruption cases could be substantiated and his suggestions for the creation of an independent justice system.
Dr Mahathir would be one of the most prominent witnesses to be called to the PSSC to provide valuable opinions and share his experience as to why the reform of justice was never successfully embarked on. His presence at the PSSC hearing would be crucial for the PSSC to recommend proposals to the government as to what sort of justice system reform should be in place. – The Vibes, September 29, 2023
Dr Boo Cheng Hau is the former Johor DAP chairman and a former Johor assemblyman
