KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has proposed lawyer Tommy Thomas as the next Attorney-General, but the Malay Rulers are allegedly not keen due to his ethnicity, a news portal asserted.

In an article published this evening, The Malaysian Insight claimed the prime minister formally submitted the name for Yang diPertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V’s consideration 10 days ago but has not heard back.

It claimed the Agong was insistent that the position currently held by Tan Sri Apandi Ali, who is on enforced leave, should be filled by a Malay candidate.

The portal further asserted that the remaining Malay Rulers were in agreement with his position.

Dr Mahathir and the rest of Pakatan Harapan are allegedly just as adamant on Thomas, whom they feel was appropriately qualified to signal the new government’s commitment to reform.

Article 145 of the Federal Constitution states that the Attorney-General is appointed and removed by the Agong on the advice of the prime minister.

While it was previously thought the phrase the “Agong shall, on the advice of the prime minister, appoint a person who is qualified” meant the Ruler was compelled to accept the nomination, recent developments in Malaysia have put this in doubt.

The Malay Rulers have, on several occasions, refused to appoint individuals nominated by the ruling parties to become mentri besar, most recently when the Raja of Perlis chose one who did not have the support of his fellow Barisan Nasional lawmakers.

https://www.malaymail.com/s/1637728/website-claims-conflict-between-putrajaya-rulers-over-ag