KUALA LUMPUR – Election watchdog Bersih has renewed its call for the attorney-general (AG) to stop applying for discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) in grand corruption cases involving politicians.
Its chairman Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz also called for the separation of power between the AG and public prosecutor (PP) as well as reforming the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“Seeing that the unity government is stable now, it is time to implement such reforms. If these three demands are not met, Bersih will hold a larger flashmob,” he said after a flashmob of 80 people in front of Masjid Jamek LRT station.
“If DNAA continues to be applied to politicians involved in corruption cases, the people’s trust in our public institutions will be eroded.”
Today, some 80 people from 30 non-governmental organisations (NGO) gathered for about 30 minutes to chant “tolak rasuah”, “tolak DNAA” and “hidup rakyat”.
Meanwhile, deputy Bersih chairman Wong Yan Ke said it is crucial for the unity government to implement the separation of the AG and PP as promised before.
Just yesterday, the KL High Court said former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak could apply for DNAA in the RM27 million SRC International case if the prosecution could not decide on his representation letters by September.
On December 4, the Malaysian Bar filed a judicial review application after Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was granted DNAA in the corruption case involving Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds.
As for the separation of AG-PP powers, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the unity government is committed to the move to ensure the integrity of the legal institutions.
She added that the government would conduct an empirical study before finalising the proposal to separate powers between the AG and the PP. – January 20, 2024