Law minister confirms revised AG-PP split Bill to be tabled June 22; hopes politicians defer moves until after vote

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The revised Bill for the proposed separation of the Attorney General’s (AG) and Public Prosecutor’s (PP) roles will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on June 22, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said today.

Azalina expressed hope that MPs from the federal opposition would support this revised Bill, as a two-thirds majority (148 out of 222 MPs) would be needed for this proposed law change.

“I hope so. Looks quite positive. I hope. Nevertheless, I hope we can have this sitting for June and we can have this constitutional amendment to get the 148,” she told reporters at Parliament here after a bipartisan parliamentary special select committee’s (PSSC) meeting on the Bill.

She was responding to a question on whether MPs in the PSSC have given their commitment on behalf of their political parties to support the Bill.

While Azalina declined to take any questions on political matters, she hoped that politicians would only make decisions after parliamentary proceedings on the revised Bill.

“And I hope any decision to be made by party leaderships can be made after the Parliament sitting.

“I hope it will happen after the constitutional amendment for AG-PP. Not before,” she said, adding: “So I hope the bosses will decide and negotiate.”

MORE TO COME