Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor arrives at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, April 22, 2021. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — The decision of the Attorney General’s Chambers to now accept former Umno minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor’s acquittal in his corruption trial was perturbing as the ruling was not unanimous, said Malaysian Bar president AG Kalidas.
He said Attorney General Tan Sri Idris Harun, in particular, should explain why he chose to discontinue the appeal.
“The wide-ranging discretionary powers held by the Attorney General in his capacity as the Public Prosecutor must be weighed comprehensively against the rule of law and the administration of justice. Any suggestion that a public figure is able to use his/her influence to buy himself/herself out of accountability must be avoided at all costs.
“The position of the Attorney General’s Chambers as a bastion of justice and a guardian of public interest must be fiercely guarded. The Malaysian Bar therefore emphasises the need for the Attorney General to give a detailed explanation behind the withdrawal of the appeal,” he said in a statement today.
On November 16, it was reported that the prosecution withdrew its challenge against the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former Tengku Adnan, a former Umno treasurer, in a RM2 million corruption case.
The prosecution had filed a notice of appeal at the Federal Court on July 19, three days after he was freed in a 2-1 majority decision.
On December 21 last year, High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan found the former minister guilty of accepting a sum of RM2 million from Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd managing director Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong, and sentenced the former Minister to 12 months’ imprisonment and fined him RM2 million.
However, no case management relating to the appeal has been fixed since then.