Pejuang info chief asks AG to explain decisions on politically charged cases

KUALA LUMPUR (May 12): Parti Pejuang Tanah Air information chief Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali on Friday (May 12) urged Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, who had earlier faced an unprecedented no-confidence vote this week, to explain his decision in several politically charged cases. 

Muhammad Rafique, a lawyer himself, said on Wednesday that the Malaysian Bar had passed a no-confidence vote on Idrus due to his failure to protect the judiciary in the case of Justice Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. It is worth to note that Idrus' contract had been extended for six months from March. 

Muhammad Rafique said the cases that require Idrus’ explanations include Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s second trial adjournment to August following new developments over her letter of representation to drop her money laundering and tax evasion charges involving RM7.1 million. 

Separately, Muhammad Rafique pointed to another case where the prosecution reportedly asked for further extension over a decision on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s representation letter for the public prosecutor to withdraw its appeal over the Umno president’s acquittal in the foreign visa case. 

The prosecution had filed a notice of appeal over Ahmad Zahid’s acquittal last September, and so far the prosecution had twice on Feb 17 and March 31 told the Court of Appeal that no decision had been made and requested an adjournment of the case management of the case be done for a fourth time on July 28. 

Muhammad Rafique said it is to be noted that Ahmad Zahid also sent another representation in his Yayasan Akalbudi case, where the defence had been called and his ongoing trial postponed, resuming in August. 

“The AG is the lawyer for the rakyat and society, and the guardian of public interest. He is a servant for the rule of law. The AG has the discretion and wide-ranging power to ensure justice is for all and not only for the government of the day. 

“The AG should stop all the speculation [of the government meddling in AG’s decision] and voice out or take action so that the society has confidence in the administration of justice.  If these issues are not resolved, there exists a trust deficit in the AG,” Rafique said. 

If no explanation is fortcoming from the AG on the decisions for these cases, the Pejuang information chief said, this creates a question whether the present government is meddling in the AG’s affairs for it to remain in power. 

Muhammad Rafique pointed out that it was ironic that the Malaysian Bar's no-confidence vote on Idrus coincided with the contract extension of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, whom Pakatan Harapan had previously campaigned against due to allegations of his younger brother using his central depository account.

Read also: Rosmah seeks to have all charges in money laundering, tax evasion trial droppedAG yet to decide on Zahid's letter of representation in foreign visa system case