Nice to meet you: Azalina talking to several guests at the Hari Raya gathering at Dewan Kejora yesterday. — Bernama
PENGERANG: The Malaysian Bar has every right to pass a no-confidence vote against Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun and to admonish her for her conduct as Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
“We are a free country, and I have no qualms about it. Everyone, including bodies, has their beliefs. To me, the government we have today practises democracy and we must accept criticism whether from the people or professional bodies,” the Pengerang MP said when met during a Hari Raya Aidilfitri gathering for her constituency at Dewan Kejora in Bandar Penawar here yesterday.
The Umno information chief added that the unity government must be a responsible government that stresses openness and accountability.
On Wednesday, the Malaysian Bar passed a no-confidence vote against Idrus for his “abject failure” to defend the judiciary from attacks, including the issue involving Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
The vote was part of a resolution on the independence of the judiciary and upholding the rule of law, which was adopted at the Malaysian Bar’s extraordinary general meeting.
It said the judiciary has in recent months come under attack as a direct result of the conviction of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Mohd Nazlan was the trial judge who convicted and sentenced Najib in the RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd case, and there were allegations that he was in a conflict of interest in presiding over the case due to his previous role in Maybank.
The Bar also said it “deplored” the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for producing its report on Mohd Nazlan, the timing and the manner in which it was released, and the purported conclusion contained therein, “which was not within the purview of MACC’s powers”.
The lawyers also said they had mandated the Bar Council to give notice to the Attorney General to bring contempt proceedings against those “responsible for attacks on the judiciary”.
In the same resolution, the Malaysian Bar also criticised Azalina for “undermining the independence of the judiciary.”
Last month, Azalina said MACC’s probe on Mohd Nazlan concluded he had violated the Judges’ Code of Ethics, and that there was a conflict of interest when he presided over the SRC International case.
This was based on a report of MACC’s findings dated Feb 20, which the agency had extended to Azalina.
