The appointment of the attorney-general should not create religious or racial conflict as every Malaysian should be treated fairly regardless of race and religion.
THE appointment of Tommy Thomas as attorney-general paves the way for a new Malaysia that is colour blind, said the National Patriots Association (Patriot).
Patriot president Brigadier-General (rtd) Mohammad Arshad Raji said a “constitutional crisis” had been averted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as he consented to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s choice of A-G.
“Arguments against his appointment by certain quarters (because) he is Indian and Christian are parochial, racist, cocooned from the previous era of racial politics and has no place in today’s Malaysia,” Arshad said in a statement today.
Arshad also praised Thomas as being qualified for the top job and said issues like him being non-Muslim would not affect his stature as A-G.
“More importantly, Tommy Thomas is widely recognised as an expert on the Constitution, is an experienced litigator, untainted and respected.
“Not being Malay and Muslim is not, and should not be a criteria for the appointment for legal, principle and ethical reasons,” he said.
The impasse over Thomas’ appointment was broken in the early hours today with a statement from the comptroller of the royal household, Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz, saying that the king had consented to the appointment.
“The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also called on all Malaysians to accept that the appointment of the attorney-general should not create religious or racial conflict as every Malaysian should be treated fairly regardless of race and religion,” the statement read.
Under the Constitution, the king appoints the attorney-general on the advice of the prime minister.
However, the palace had objected to Thomas, who was the sole name given by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. There were concerns that Thomas was non-Malay and non-Muslim, although the Constitution does not stipulate the race and religion of the attorney-general.
The palace also announced the sacking of former attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali, who had been on leave since May 15, with his duties temporarily taken over by Solicitor-General Engku Nor Faizah Engku Atek.
Apandi became attorney-general in July 2015, abruptly replacing Abdul Gani Patail, who had been leading a team investigating scandal-ridden state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
It is believed that Thomas’ appointment, three weeks after Pakatan Harapan won federal power, was part of the push to get to the bottom of the 1MDB scandal.
Arshad also said that the people voted in the Pakatan Harapan government, thus the cabinet’s recommendations are also the wishes of the people.
“Any delay in appointing the new A-G will frustrate the loads of work to be done, especially when heaps of discrepancies, abuses and possible criminal acts have been discovered since the new government took over.
“With so much to do in so little time, nobody who has nothing to fear and committed no wrong should obstruct the appointment of the new A-G, as recommended by the prime minister and his cabinet,” he added. – June 5, 2018.
Source : The Malaysian Insight
Indie Borneo 