JOHOR BARU: The Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform should summon two former prime ministers as part of their proceedings on the separation of powers between the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor.
Johor DAP committee member Dr Boo Cheng Hau expressed support for PSSC chairman William Leong Jee Keen’s announcement that the proceedings were proposed to further discuss the matter and study the Federal Constitution for necessary amendments.
“The Federal Constitution has entrenched the executive branch with too much power in appointing the Attorney General, judiciary, and law enforcement bodies,” Dr Boo said in a statement on Thursday (Sept 28). He added that this has led to accusations by the current Opposition that the Prime Minister’s Office is interfering in the legal process involving high-profile cases and politicians.
Dr Boo cited several high-profile cases, including the acquittal of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and 1MDB former CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy for alleged tampering of the auditor-general’s audit report on 1MDB, the acquittal of former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on 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.
He emphasized that all stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations, civil society, the unity government, and Opposition members, should be involved in reforming Malaysia’s justice system. Dr Boo believed that the PSSC was the most suitable platform to gather input from all parties and pursue substantive institutional reforms.
Calling upon former prime ministers who played a role in appointing top civil servants and law enforcement officers, including attorneys general and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioners, Dr Boo suggested that they be summoned as key witnesses. He argued that these former prime ministers were hesitant to reform the justice system during their tenure but are now claiming that the system has failed.
Dr Boo specifically mentioned Tun Dr Mahathir, the longest-serving prime minister, who established the council of eminent persons and a five-member committee on institutional reforms, the report of which has never been published. He also highlighted the importance of summoning Muhyiddin, who appointed the former attorney general and the current MACC chief commissioner, to understand why allegations of executive interference in high-profile corruption cases can be substantiated and to gather his suggestions for creating an independent justice system.
If called to the PSSC, Dr Boo believes that Dr Mahathir would be a crucial witness, providing valuable opinions and sharing his experience as to why justice system reform was never successfully implemented. He reckoned that Dr Mahathir’s presence would be instrumental in enabling the PSSC to recommend proposals to the government regarding necessary justice system reforms.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
