AG, public prosecutor separation of power: Bersih gives one year to reform

SHAH ALAM - The Special Task Force on Comparative Studies and the Special Technical Task Force have a period of one year before the end of 2024 to implement the reform of the separation of powers of the Attorney-General (AG) and Public Prosecutor.

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) said the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must show its political commitment to implement efforts by including appropriate final allocations in Budget 2025.

"We want to challenge the prime minister to immediately openly announce that the special task force had a duration of not more than one year.

"The one-year period of the Special Technical Task Force must be reduced to six to eight months to quicken the implementation.

"The refusal to provide a clear period will create the public perception that the formation of the team was merely to divert the anger of the public towards the DNAA (dismissal not amounting to an acquittal) for the Deputy Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) last week," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

Bersih stated that the financial implications of the reform implementation should not be used as an excuse to delay the process, as the public’s lack of confidence in the judiciary, government, and political system was far more costly.

Bersih was open to cooperating with both special task forces and internal proceedings to share findings and best practices.

"The special task force for this comprehensive study must involve representatives from civil society organisations, including the Bar Council, and academics who are legal experts.

"To prevent political or other influences on the criminal prosecution system, the public prosecutor must be composed of constitutional officers separate from the AG," it said.