Azalina to hold more talks with parliamentary committee on AG-Public Prosecutor Separation Bill

PUTRAJAYA: Azalina Othman Said, a key minister in the Prime Minister's Department focused on law and institutional reform, has been instructed to engage in additional dialogues with the Parliamentary Special Select Committee regarding the proposed constitutional amendments to separate the roles of the Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor.

This directive from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stems from concerns raised by the Malay Rulers during the recent Conference of Rulers. The Prime Minister has tasked Azalina to hold engagement sessions with the committee, which drafted the amendments, and to communicate any further changes or improvements back to the conference.

The cabinet also received updates on the Parliamentary Service Council, now the institution's sole executive authority following the transition. This reform effort, coupled with the appointment of a term limit for the Prime Minister, is part of Anwar's broader agenda to strengthen democracy in the country. The term limit and Attorney-General/Public Prosecutor separation are seen as critical steps in this reform process, though some details still require finalization.

The Parliamentary Service Act 2025 and related amendments to the Federal Constitution came into effect on October 1. Azalina had previously reported that the bills limiting the Prime Minister's term to 10 years and separating the Attorney-General's and Public Prosecutor's roles had been finalized and were ready for consideration in the Dewan Rakyat.

However, the first bill failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, garnering 146 votes in favor, with 44 abstentions and 32 absences.