Zaid lists prosecutorial reforms needed after Najib's latest DNAA
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said public fatigue over flawed prosecutions is reaching a tipping point.
PETALING JAYA : Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has outlined several proposed reforms to keep the Attorney-General's Chambers accountable, after Najib Razak's discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in his SRC International Sdn Bhd money laundering case.
Zaid said the AGC has operated without being held accountable for too long, necessitating reforms to be undertaken as Malaysians become disillusioned.
'Public fatigue over flawed prosecutions is reaching a tipping point. Malaysians are watching and they are angry,' the former Kota Bharu MP said in a post on X.
Zaid called again for the separation of the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor to be expedited to ensure the public prosecutor's independence in upholding justice.
He also suggested the establishment of a prosecution oversight commission, specifically to review decisions not to prosecute cases of public interest and to recommend referrals for judicial review.
He proposed that a prosecution code of ethics be enacted to make it mandatory for prosecutors to always disclose all exculpatory evidence and provide written justifications for DNAAs, NFAs (no further action) and plea bargains.
This is also aimed at excluding any political influence in charging any individual of an offence.
Zaid called for the AGC to be required to table annual reports on the statistics of DNAAs and NFAs as well as prosecution outcomes in Parliament, and for a select committee to oversee prosecutorial conduct.
He also suggested that senior prosecutors, like judges, be appointed to fixed terms to ensure that their tenures are protected from arbitrary removal.
He called for whistleblower protection laws to be reviewed to allow for disclosures to be made even if involving classified information, as long as done in public interest and good faith.
Zaid said Perikatan Nasional should champion these reforms if it wanted to gain public support, instead of simply touting slogans on reforms.
'A credible, ironclad promise to clean up the prosecution – with independent oversight, transparent rules, and professional integrity – would strike a powerful chord among the rakyat,' he said.
This morning, Najib was granted a DNAA in his RM27 million SRC money laundering case after the High Court found that the prosecution was not ready to proceed with the trial.
Justice K Muniandy said no witness testimony had been pursued since the case was brought against Najib in 2019, only a plethora of postponements, indicating that the prosecution was not ready to prosecute the case.
Najib is currently serving his reduced six-year prison term for abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving RM42 million in SRC funds.
In November, Najib and former Treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah were granted a DNAA in their International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) case.
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