A-G: Selangor government circular null and void

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 17 — The Selangor government's circular prohibiting state officials from giving statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after office hours is null and void, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said.

"The MACC's function is governed by certain laws. We're going to file an application in court for a declaration that the directive is null and void. As far as the law is concerned, this is purely unlawful.

"I will file the application within this week," he told a joint news conference with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz after the opening of the 48th Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO) annual session today.

Nazri said the Selangor government's action could be construed as an attempt to obstruct MACC officers from performing their duties.

"No circular from any state government can prevent the MACC from carrying out their the independent investigations. I think this is an attempt by Khalid (Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) to obstruct MACC officers from discharging their duties," Nazri said.

Abdul Gani and Nazri were asked to comment on the circular, issued on July 28, instructing all state government officers not to give interviews to the MACC outside their office buildings.

The circular also states that all meetings or interviews for that purpose can only be conducted from 8am to 6.30pm.

Taking the opposition to task over the matter, Nazri asked: "Can you imagine the response from them (opposition parties) if the prime minister were to issue the same circular?"

Nazri also said that the opposition parties were embarrassed as they were now under investigations for corrupt practices.

"When the BN was the government (in Selangor) they accused it of corruption. Now they too are involved in corrupt practices. So they are embarrassed and try to demoralise our officers. What are they scared of?" he said.

Nazri also refuted claims that the MACC was targeting non-Malay leaders.

"Do you know how many Umno members have been investigated? Why turn this into a race issue? Why is it that when Umno members were investigated no one said anything?

"The MACC is an independent body and will take action irrespective of race. The MACC should take action without fear of favour," he said.

On calls for MACC officers to record their investigation process, Nazri said: "I'm sure MACC officers will take the necessary action to ensure they are not accused of anything."

Meanwhile, on the issue of perjury in high-profile cases, Abdul Gani said a proper investigation must be done to determine the reasons why a witness committed perjury.

"We cannot simply charge them without studying first why they 'turn turtle'," he said. — Bernama

Peguam Negara pilih calon pengarah BPR

Berita Harian

Kuasa Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan diperkemas diperpendakwaan

KUALA LUMPUR: Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR), menyerahkan kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara untuk memilih dan mengumumkan calon yang akan dilantik sebagai Pengarah Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaannya.

Ketua Pengarah BPR, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan, berkata Jabatan Peguam Negara bertanggungjawab menentukan calon jawatan itu yang bertanggungjawab melaporkan kepada beliau berhubung keputusan pendakwaan.

"Kita tunggu mereka (Jabatan Peguam Negara) mengumumkan pelantikan. Pemilihan calon ini tidak membabitkan BPR.

"Dengan keputusan ini, BPR diberi kuasa penuh untuk menyiasat dan mendakwa semua kes jenayah rasuah termasuk yang berkepentingan awam, menerusi Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan," katanya ketika dihubungi semalam.

Sebelum ini, Pengarah Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan BPR hanya boleh memberi nasihat mengenai sesuatu kes tetapi perlu merujuk kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara, yang akan menentukan sama ada kes berkenaan akan dibawa ke mahkamah.

Pemberian kuasa itu tidak memerlukan pindaan terhadap Akta Pencegahan Rasuah 1997 kerana Jabatan Peguam Negara memperakukan pegawai kanan yang juga Timbalan Pendakwa Raya untuk ditempatkan sebagai Pengarah Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan.

Sehubungan itu, langkah berkenaan tidak bertentangan dengan Artikel 145 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang hanya memperuntukkan kuasa pendakwaan kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara.

Pembaharuan itu selaras dengan pengumuman Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pada 21 April lalu bahawa BPR akan diberi lebih kebebasan menerusi proses pembaharuan yang dijangka berterusan sehingga akhir tahun ini.

Antara lain ia termasuk mengubah BPR menjadi Suruhanjaya Anti Rasuah Malaysia (MCAC), menubuhkan lembaga penasihat bebas bagi memastikan MCAC bebas, telus dan bertanggungjawab selain menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Parlimen Mengenai Anti Rasuah.

Difahamkan, MCAC akan menggaji 5,000 kakitangan profesional bagi mewujudkan program perlindungan yang menyeluruh bagi pemberi maklumat dan saksi selain ketetapan supaya MCAC mengemukakan laporan tahunan kepada jawatankuasa Parlimen terbabit.

Ahmad Said berkata, Pengarah Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan BPR yang sedia ada, Abdul Razak Musa, akan meneruskan operasi seperti biasa sehingga Jabatan Peguam Negara mengumumkan pelantikan baru.

Bidang kuasa Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan BPR kini terhad kepada mengawal dan memberi arahan dalam pendakwaan kes jenayah dan prosiding berkaitan, umpamanya, Seksyen 376(1) Kanun Acara Jenayah, Seksyen 50 Akta Pencegahan Rasuah 1997.

BPR masih perlu rujuk Peguam Negara

Utusan Online

PULAU PINANG 12 Julai - Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) hari ini menjelaskan, ia masih perlu merujuk kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara walaupun diberi kuasa penuh menyiasat dan mendakwa semua kes jenayah rasuah menerusi Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan badan itu.

Ketua Pengarah BPR, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan memberitahu, semua kes yang hendak dibawa ke mahkamah masih perlu menerusi Peguam Negara tetapi kini proses itu akan lebih cepat dilaksanakan.

Menurutnya, kenyataan dikeluarkan BPR semalam adalah berkaitan penempatan pegawai kanan pegawai kanan Jabatan Peguam Negara di BPR yang sudah pasti dapat membuat keputusan lebih cepat.

Katanya, sebelum ini semua kes siasatan dan pendakwaan perlu dirujuk kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara tetapi kini jabatan itu menempatkan pegawai kanannya iaitu Timbalan Pendakwa Raya (DPP) di BPR bagi mempercepatkan keputusan terhadap kes-kes yang dirujuk.

"Jangan salah faham. Apa jua proses siasatan dan pendakwaan masih melalui Jabatan Peguam Negara cuma apa yang dicadangkan oleh BPR ialah supaya sebarang keputusan dapat dipercepatkan," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas majlis penganugerahan darjah kebesaran bintang dan pingat kehormatan negeri Pulau Pinang sempena hari ulang tahun ke-70 Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas di sini hari ini.

Pada majlis itu, Ahmad Said dianugerahkan Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri yang membawa gelaran Datuk Seri.

Beliau mengulas laporan akhbar hari ini yang melaporkan BPR diberi kuasa penuh menyiasat dan mendakwa semua kes jenayah rasuah menerusi Bahagian Perundangan dan Pendakwaan badan itu tanpa merujuk kepada Peguam Negara.

Menurut kenyataan semalam, BPR mengumumkan bahawa ia telah diberi kuasa menerusi DPP untuk melaporkan terus kepada Ketua Pengarahnya tanpa perlu merujuk kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara.

Ahmad Said menambah, sistem yang diguna pakai ketika ini ialah semua siasatan dan pendakwaan perlu dihantar ke pejabat Jabatan Peguam Negara untuk meneliti fakta-fakta kes sebelum tindakan lanjut diambil.

Katanya, ketika ini sesetengah kes yang besar akan dibawa ke perhatian Jabatan Peguam Negara dan mengambil masa lama sebelum jabatan itu menelitinya.

"Apa yang kita hendak bincang Peguam Negara ialah supaya pegawai kanan mereka di BPR dapat membuat keputusan secara langsung dan segera," katanya lagi.

Ujarnya, perkara itu telah dibincang dengan Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail dan beliau bersetuju mempercepatkan keputusan kes-kes dikemukakan oleh BPR.

Menurutnya, pihak Jabatan Peguam Negara juga menyatakan kesediaan meletakkan pegawai-pegawai atau DPP yang paling kanan dan berpengalaman untuk ditempatkan di BPR bagi menyegerakan keputusan terhadap siasatan sebarang kes.

Top legal officer's bid to retire rejected

NSTP

PUTRAJAYA: In an about-turn, the government has rejected the application of former Attorney-General's Chambers prosecution head Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden to go on optional retirement.

He was to join the Securities Commission yesterday.

Yusof is now a legal officer on the same grade, but without any position.

The New Straits Times learnt that the approval given to Yusof, 52, to take optional retirement was revoked on "grounds of national interest".

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was not available for comment as he is in the Hague, Netherlands. Gani is one of the counsel representing Malaysia in the International Court of Justice over the Pulau Batu Puteh territorial dispute proceedings between Malaysia and Singapore which begin on Tuesday.
Solicitor-General 1 Datuk Idrus Harun could also not be reached for comment.

When contacted, Yusof confirmed that he was still with the A-G's Chambers, but declined further comment.

On Sept 11, Gani confirmed speculation that Yusuf and deputy public prosecutor Sallehuddin Saidin, 44, who was in charge of high profile cases, were going on optional retirement.

Gani had said then that the two sent in their applications for retirement in late August.

He said he approved the applications because the two men wanted to move on to greener pastures.

Gani had also said there were sufficient experienced staff in his office to fill the vacuum left by the two.

Both men went on leave prior to retirement.

On Oct 1, former civil division head in the Chambers, Tun Majid Tun Hamzah, was appointed to fill Yusof's position.

But now, Yusof is back in the A-G's Chambers.

Yusof, a law graduate from University of Malaya, joined the Judicial and Legal Service in 1981 and was posted to Malacca as a magistrate.

He was appointed prosecutions head in the A-G's Chambers in 2002.

Ada DPP malas – Peguam Negara

Utusan Online

Oleh WAN SYAMSUL AMLY WAN SEADEY

PUTRAJAYA 2 Okt. – Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail hari ini mendedahkan terdapat segelintir peguam dan timbalan pendakwa raya (DPP) yang malas dan cuai semasa meneliti kertas siasatan kes-kes yang hendak dibawa ke mahkamah.

Menurutnya, kelemahan seumpama itu boleh menimbulkan tanggapan negatif terhadap institusi pendakwa raya yang seharusnya memberi keadilan kepada orang ramai.

“Memang ada segelintir pendakwa raya dan peguam agak senior yang tidak efisien dalam tugas yang dipertanggungjawabkan.

“Mereka masih tidak peka dengan kertas siasatan dan membuat kesilapan mudah yang tidak harus berlaku,” katanya ketika ditemui di pejabatnya di sini hari ini.

Abdul Gani berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kes Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Siti Badariah Mohd. Yusof yang terlewat hadir dalam sebutan kes mengedar dadah di Mahkamah Tinggi Ipoh, Perak baru-baru ini.

Kelewatan itu menyebabkan Hakim Datuk Muhamad Ideres Muhamad Rapee membuat keputusan ketiga-tiga tertuduh dalam kes itu yang didakwa mengedar dadah jenis kanabis seberat 3,049 gram dilepaskan tanpa dibebaskan.

Sambil menyatakan kekecewaannya, Abdul Gani menegaskan beliau tidak teragak-agak untuk ‘menjatuhkan hukuman’ ke atas mana-mana pegawainya yang didapati melakukan kesilapan seumpama itu.

“Saya memang menjaga setiap gerak-geri pegawai pendakwa dan akan bersama mereka untuk mengenal pasti punca masalah itu berlaku,” ujarnya.

Abdul Gani menjelaskan, kesilapan yang kerap berlaku sekarang dikatakan berpunca daripada kurangnya semangat dan rasa bangga mereka yang menjawat profesion Timbalan Pendakwa Raya.

“Fikiran mereka mungkin lebih menjurus kepada soal gaji dan tidak pada tanggungjawab yang seharusnya diselesaikan,” katanya.

Two senior prosecutors opt for retirement

By : V. Anbalagan
New Straits Times


Sallehuddin Saidin handled several high-profile cases as deputy public prosecutor (left). Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden will join the Securities Commission.

After more than a month of speculation, it is confirmed that two senior prosecuting officers are going on optional retirement.

They are the Attorney-General’s Chambers prosecution head Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden and deputy public prosecutor Sallehuddin Saidin who is in charge of high-profile cases.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said the two had sent in their applications for retirement late last month.

"I have allowed their applications because they want to move on to greener pastures.

"It is not fair to stop their career advancement elsewhere," he said yesterday.
Gani said there were sufficient experienced staff in his office to fill the vacuum left by the two men.

Both men are now on leave prior to retirement.

It is learnt that Yusof, 52, will join the Securities Commission while Sallehuddin, 44, will go into private practice.

Yusof, a law graduate from Universiti Malaya, joined the Judicial and Legal Service in 1981 and was posted as magistrate in Malacca. He was appointed to his present position in 2002.

Sallehuddin joined the service in 1987 and was posted to the office of the Selangor Legal Adviser and then to the State Syariah Unit. Among the cases Sallehuddin had handled as DPP was the Canny Ong, Tengku Teh and Bakaruddin Busu criminal trials.

Salehuddin led the prosecution team in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial in the earlier phase of the case.

However, when the trial began in June, the prosecution team was replaced by one led by deputy public prosecutor Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah.

Yusof and Sallehuddin could not be reached for comment.

04/08: Open Letter to all Staff of the Attorney General’s Chambers

Malaysia Today

Lawman

Selamat pagi to all the Public Persecutors and some Public Prosecutors at the AG’s Chambers. We are happy to note that at least some people in the AG’s Chambers still have some sense of decency.

According to news reports, deputy public prosecutor Sallehuddin Saidin has submitted his papers for optional retirement. The prosecution division head in the chambers, Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden, is planning to resign or has already resigned. The NST says at least two more resignations were expected to follow Yusof’s. The right thing to do would be for all the staff at the AG’s Chambers to resign immediately.

While these people are resigning, DPPs Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah and Manoj Kurup will most likely get promotions and be sitting above those of you who do not want to have anything to do with the cover up and the intentional mishandling of the Altantuya murder case.

As you all are aware, the problem is not dissatisfaction with working conditions in the chambers or favouritism. Everyone knows that the main reason is because of the way the Altantuya Shaariibuu case has been handled.

Salehuddin and DPP Noorin Badaruddin led the prosecution team in the case of the murder of the Mongolian model. But you all know that Salehuddin refused to ‘play ball’ with Ghani Patail on how to ‘handle’ the case. So Salehuddin was unceremoniously replaced and Ghani Patail threw the unkind accusation against Salehuddin that Salehuddin had been seen playing badminton with trial judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin and that it would attract “negative perception of the integrity of the chambers, the court and the fair conduct of the trial”. (This is as per NST lah!)

Members of the AG’s Chambers, you all know that this is just baloney. If anyone should resign it is the AG Ghani Patail who should do so -- and maybe also the Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yassin because the Judge was seen visiting the AG’s house one night after the Altantuya trial had started. There are eyewitness accounts. Ask Ghani Patail to remember carefully who else were there that night and who observed the Judge coming to his house. The problem is people talk all the time.

The Altantuya case represents the nail in the coffin for the integrity, professionalism and honesty of the AG’s Chambers. The way the investigation has been conducted by the Police is stupid and comical. But what is even more mind-boggling is that the Public Prosecutor’s office (that is you people lah) have accepted the half-baked and bungled up investigation done by the police and you have presented it all as evidence in a Court of Law.

It is obvious that you have intentionally filed charges against the three accused just to create a sham out of this trial. Even Mak Cik Jah in Arau who reads the Utusan Malaysia version of the trial knows that the three accused are going to walk. And once again the real murderers will walk scot-free. So all of you at the AG’s Chambers can congratulate yourselves on the fact that you have done another great job. You can go home and tell your wife, husband and kids how you are fighting for and upholding justice in this country.

You can tell them how the AG’s Chambers are experts at charging the wrong guy, looking the other way, or making a mockery out of trials. You did it before in the Norita Shamsudin murder case where you charged a scapegoat fellow by the name of Hanif. The charges could never stick. Naturally, Hanif walked. Naturally, the real murderers are still at large.

What do you get when you behave so cheaply like this? Is it really worth it? After your years of legal training and years of service, this is what you have become? Well, congratulations to you all.

In this Altantuya case the so-called confession by Sirul Azhar has been thrown out by the Court. Large parts of the evidence about Sirul Azhar taking the police to the murder scene have also been thrown out. Do you know what this means? It means the police knew how to find their own way to the murder scene!

As members of the AG’s Chambers you also know that the police forensics team discovered the remains and bone fragments of eight other human beings at the murder scene. That is why two days after supposedly finishing investigations at the murder scene, almost the entire forensics team of the police department rushed to the murder scene again. This was reported in the Press. The reason is because their lab work had shown that there were also human remains from other human beings at the murder scene.

This also explains how the police were able to find their way to the murder scene without Sirul Azhar’s help. They knew exactly where to go. Razak Baginda’s Affidavit that was filed in court says that Azilah told him he had killed six other people before the Altantuya murder.

The police have testified that the UTK do not use C4. You must have known this before the case went to court. You know that C4 is used by MINDEF and not by the Police. So why do you press charges against a policeman alleging the use of C4? Bodoh ke? But this is a sham trial. This is to make sure that the accused will walk scot-free.

The policewoman testified that Altantuya got out of her car and went into a green Vitara (CAC 1883) driven by a mysterious man wearing a green cap. That man or the car has never been traced until today. You all know that this alone absolves all three accused of the murder. Who is the man in the green Vitara?

The police say they cannot trace the green Vitara. They must be joking. But it is a stupid joke, meant to entertain brainless prosecutors at the AG’s Chambers. Yet you present this type of ‘evidence’ as Prosecutors. Maybe you should just advise the lawyers representing the three accused to pack up and go home. There is no more need for defence lawyers. The AG’s Chambers is doing a superb job messing up the prosecution. All three accused will walk.

You have presented some videotape recordings from the Hotel Malaya. You show pictures of two Malay men hanging around the hotel. Yet the police say these two men cannot be identified. Another joke? This is the type of evidence that you present.

At each and every step of this case, the Prosecutors from the AG’s Chambers somehow manage to create just enough doubt that there were other people involved in the murder -- sufficient doubt to make the three accused walk free.

The public knows about the cover up that is going on. And the Internet spreads the news instantly far and wide. That is why the Government is so keen on clamping down on the Internet.

Lu orang langsung tak ada malu ke? If you can sink so low in your professional conduct, the next thing for you to do is to ply your skills in Jalan Alor near Bukit Bintang, in Johor Baru or maybe at the Bakun Dam construction site in Sarawak (the latest attraction in this great nation of ours). Also, jangan lupa, gaji awak semua tu haram. Rezeki tak halal brader. Esok kalau anak jatuh sakit ke, husband lari ke, bini curiga ke tak payahlah fikir panjang-panjang. Bala Tuhan itu pantas. Hari itu kan kereta sudah terbalik!