AG told to explain Ismail Sabri’s instructions against Thomas

761
- Advertisement - [resads_adspot id="2"]

The constitutionality behind Ismail’s instructions to Idrus questioned.

Attorney-General (AG) Idrus Harun must clarify whether he was instructed to take action against his predecessor Tommy Thomas by caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Lim Lip Eng said today.

As the prime minister had publicly admitted that he declassified a report detailing Putrajaya’s investigation into Thomas’ book and of instructing the current AG to take immediate action against the latter, the incumbent Kepong MP urged Idrus to make clear to the public the instructions received from Ismail.

“Idrus can no longer remain silent as Malaysians are waiting for his clarifications, at least on the following pertinent questions: When did Ismail Sabri instruct Idris to take action against Thomas over the contents of his book?” the DAP leader asked. 

TMI

It was earlier reported that Ismail had made the admission on the instructions given to the AG at a rally in Bagan Datuk, where he urged the party’s election machinery to take advantage of the findings to attack its rivals in the coming general election.

“I have given you bullets. In Thomas’ case, we exposed (the report) by the special task force. I have given lots of bullets here.

“I asked the de facto law minister to publish it on their website, to detail what was done and what mistakes Thomas made.

Sayuti Zainudin

“I told the attorney-general to take immediate action (against Thomas) under the Official Secrets Act, defamation law and so on. I told him to bring up this issue immediately,” Ismail said.

Lim questioned the constitutionality behind Ismail’s instructions to Idrus and asked the latter to explain if Ismail had given similar instructions to him to initiate action against any individuals.

“As a caretaker prime minister, is Ismail Sabri’s conduct subverting Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution, which says the AG ‘shall have power, exercisable at his discretion, to institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence, other than proceedings before a Syariah court, a native court or a court-martial’?

“Was this the first time that Ismail Sabri instructed the AG to initiate or not to initiate action against someone or a body during Ismail Sabri’s less than 14 months’ tenure as the prime minister?” he asked.

Lim claimed Idrus has to be reminded that the way he handled Ismail’s instructions could be recorded in Malaysian history and remembered by the legal fraternity for many years to come.

At the same time, Lim also urged voters to demand that their respective parliamentary candidates, regardless of their political parties, should push for a publicly-elected AG in the event they are elected.

“It is time for Malaysia to have an AG who is not a political appointment in order to be independent from the executive branch of the government,” he said.

Idrus, 67, was first appointed on March 6, 2020 to be attorney general for a two-year term.

However, after his official two-year term ended in March 6 this year, Idrus was reappointed as the AG for another year under Ismail’s administration.

Idrus replaced Thomas who had resigned from the position in late February 2020, following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

Idrus is also the older brother of Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun. – TMI