KUALA LUMPUR: Separating the powers of the Attorney General (AG) and Public Prosecutor (PP) should not be a rush job, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The minister in charge of law and institutional reforms said the process must be done in an orderly manner before any law on the matter is brought to Parliament.
“We have been to Australia and Canada which had separated the powers of the AG.
“They had taken some time to do it. The reason given for this is that they did not want to do it all of a sudden just because it was demanded
“As such, the Madani government is a responsible government and will not amend the law merely because it will be a popular decision,” she said when replying to a supplementary question raised by Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut) in Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday. (Oct 23)
She pointed out that a timeframe had been given for the government to carry out an empirical study on the matter.
“I have stated on numerous occasions in my written and oral replies that we will do an empirical study which we have since done,” she added.
She said an interim report based on the study is expected to be completed next year.
“I am aware that we can come to Parliament to enact laws with regard to the matter.
“But we have to take into consideration the path towards this which needs to be done in a more orderly manner,” she added.
She also said that the Parliament’s bipartisan special select committee was also involved in the matter to ensure that lawmakers from both sides were fully aware of the issues.
She said that the proposed law will be brought for discussions with focus groups for feedback before it is submitted to the Cabinet for policy approval.
After which, Azalina said that engagement sessions will be held with lawmakers before it is eventually tabled in Parliament.
In February, the Cabinet had agreed to set up two special teams, namely the Special Task Force for Comparative Studies and the Technical Task Force to study the possibility of separating the powers of the AG.
Earlier, Azalina informed the House that the Madani government has already carried out several legislative reforms.
Among them, she cited, were amendments to the National Audit Act, Humans Rights Commission of Malaysia Act, Insolvency Act and Sexual Offences Against Children Act.
She added that there are plans to table new laws on online safety and against cyberbullying next year.
This included amendments to the Whistleblower Act and Freedom of Information Act among others, she added.
