Bersih highlights demand for separation of AG, PP offices over ‘gifting of DNAA’ issue

KUCHING (Jan 21): The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to announce an implementation timeline for the separation of Attorney-General (AG) and Public Prosecutor (PP) to deal with corruption cases more effectively.

Towards this end, it has also called for a reform in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the implementation of a Political Financing Act.

“There is an urgent demand to separate the offices of the AG and the PP to immediately stop the application for discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) to corruption cases involving politicians,” said Bersih in a statement yesterday, issued in connection with the money-laundering case (AMLA) of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak involving funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd amounting to RM27 million, where he (Najib) was told on Friday that he could apply for full acquittal in September if prosecutors were unable to decide by then on his representation to drop the RM27 million SRC International money-laundering charges against him.

According to Bersih, the issue of granting DNAA by the AG is not new.

“In fact, it has happened several times involving politicians from almost all major political parties in the country,” the coalition claimed, while expressing deep concern that such development would erode the people’s trust in law enforcement institutions, especially the AG’s Chambers.

It said to make matters worse, the AG’s statement on Jan 15 about the PP not needing to give an explanation when applying to withdraw charges, was completely unacceptable when the case involved public interest and implicating politicians at the highest level of the country’s administration.

“We reject DNAA for any politician from any party who is being charged with corruption and criminal breach of trust.”

Bersih also urged those facing corruption charges to defend themselves and face trials fairly in the court, instead of dropping charges with the ‘gifting’ of DNAA.

Moreover, the coalition reminded the federal government to fulfill its promises that it advocated before assuming power.

“The ‘rakyat’ (people) are watching, and if the DNAA continues to be granted for corruption cases involving politicians, the people’s trust in our public institution would be eroded,” it stressed.