Tommy Thomas dan Kuasa AG
Buku Tommy Thomas, “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness” telah mengundang pelbagai reaksi pemimpin dan masyarakat Malaysia.
Saya tidak ingin mengulas tentang isu, peristiwa dan pengkisahan beliau. Itu memoir beliau dan pandangan beliau tidak semestinya benar, sahih dan berwibawa. Yang pasti beliau harus bertanggungjawab dengan apa yang beliau tuliskan.
Saya hanya ingin menyentuh tentang suatu perkara. Iaitu buku tersebut telah memaparkan betapa maha berkuasanya seorang Peguam Negara dan institusi tersebut.
Perincian segala peristiwa yang dinyatakan dalam buku tersebut memaparkan betapa meluasnya pengaruh Peguam Negara serta jabatannya dalam pentadbiran undang-undang negara.
Ini mewajarkan untuk Kerajaan memikirkan semula dua reformasi penting.
Pertama ialah perlantikan seorang Peguam Negara.
Malaysia mesti mempunyai kaedah yang lebih telus dan berwibawa dalam perlantikan seorang Peguam Negara.
Perlantikan Peguam Negara sebagai prerogatif mutlak seorang Perdana Menteri wajar dinilai semula. Lebih merisaukan bila pencalonan datang dari individu tertentu yang berkepentingan dan melalui perbualan dengan Perdana Menteri seperti yang di tulis oleh Tun Mahathir sendiri.
Malaysia mesti mempunyai tatacara perlantikan yang menepati segala ciri ketelusan dan kompetensi bagi jawatan berkepentingan awam dengan kuasa yang luar biasa seperti Peguam Negara.
Kedua, ialah pemisahan antara jawatan Peguam Negara dengan Pendakwa Raya.
Kuasa yang memusatkan segalanya kepada seorang individu mesti di hadkan.
Mungkin wajar untuk Kerajaan mempertimbangkan pemisahan peranan tersebut dengan melantik Peguam Negara dan Pendakwa Raya bagi menjalankan fungsi yang berbeza.
Walaupun saya realistik bahawa meminda perkara 145(3) Perlembagaan Persekutuan memerlukan sokongan majoriti 2/3 di Dewan Rakyat dan adalah sukar, namun persediaan kearah matlamat tersebut mesti dilakukan demi pelaksanaan dan pentadbiran undang-undang yang dihormati dan berwibawa.
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Tommy Thomas and the AG Authority
Tommy Thomas’s book, “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness” was received with mixed reaction from Malaysian leaders and the society.
I do not wish to comment on the issues, events, and narratives that he has included. Those are his memoir and views that is not necessarily true, authentic, nor credible. What is sure is he must take full responsibility of what he wrote.
I only want to comment on several things, which is the power that an Attorney General and the institution command depicted in the book.
The details of every event mentioned in the book illustrate how vast the influence of an Attorney General and his department have in the administration of the national justice system.
This revelation justifies two crucial reformation that the Government must consider. Firstly, the appointment of the Attorney General.
Malaysia must put in place a more transparent and robust system in appointing the Attorney General.
The appointment of the Attorney General as the absolute prerogative of the Prime Minister must be reassessed. It is more concerning when the nomination is made by a certain individual with vested interest and through a conversation with the Prime Minister, as written by Tun Mahathir himself.
It is vital for Malaysia to have an appointment procedure that meets all the criteria, transparent, and competent for a position that holds the public interest with extraordinary authority such as the Attorney General.
Secondly, the separation of the Attorney General from and the Public Prosecutor.
We must limit the centralisation of authority an individual has.
It may be appropriate for the government to consider the separation of these roles by appointing the Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor to perform different functions.
While I am aware that realistically, the amendment of Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution requires a two third majority support, a difficult feat, preparations towards that direction must be made, nonetheless. This is to ensure the execution and administration of the national justice system continues to be a respected authority.
Dato Seri Utama Mohamad bin Haji Hasan