KUALA LUMPUR: The second and third readings of the bill to separate the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor have been postponed, pending consultation with the Conference of Rulers.
Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the government would continue proceedings on the bill at the next Dewan Rakyat sitting after informing the rulers of the proposed amendments.
“This is out of respect for the constitutional monarchy and to ensure that this constitutional reform process is carried out properly and responsibly, in accordance with the Federal Constitution,” she said when tabling the report of the parliamentary special select committee on the matter today.
The bill seeks to amend the Federal Constitution to separate the roles currently held by the attorney-general as the government’s legal adviser and the country’s public prosecutor.
An initial version of the bill was tabled for a first reading on Feb 23 but faced objections from MPs on both sides.
It was later referred to a bipartisan parliamentary special select committee, which spent about three months reviewing and redrafting the proposed changes.
The proposed amendments now include allowing a parliamentary select committee to vet candidates for the top prosecutorial post before they are appointed.
MORE TO COME
