KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said has initiated the first step towards separating the public prosecutor's office from the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC).

Azalina, in a Facebook posting today, shared that she held a meeting with representatives of the AGC, led by Solicitor-General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh on Tuesday, to discuss the separation of powers between the attorney-general and the public prosecutor.

Following this discussion, she said the AGC would prepare a document on the restructuring plans.

"This is the first step towards the separation of powers between the attorney-general and the public prosecutor and I hope that the good cooperation between the AGC and our office will bear fruit as soon as possible, God willing," she wrote. 

Several parties including the Malaysian Bar had called on the government to separate the offices of the AG and the public prosecutor to ensure greater transparency in our country's justice system.

Election watchdog Bersih had in September launched an online petition, calling on the government to hasten the separation of power before the 15th General Election.

It explained that the AG is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the prime minister, thus he is a political appointee and serves as the legal adviser to the King, the prime minister, and the Cabinet.

Bersih pointed out that currently, the AG also serves as the public prosecutor, and has the power to institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence, at his discretion.

This, it said is a conflict of interest and this has led to allegations of political interference through selective prosecution and immunity, non-pursuance of existing charges, and withdrawal of charges for those aligned with the government.

These calls came following the court verdict on former Tabung haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim's graft case. The Baling MP was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) following a request by the deputy public prosecutor on Sept 23 to allow for new leads to be investigated.