AG to go on leave, Solicitor-General to stand in: Dr M

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali would go on leave and the Solicitor-General would stand in for him with immediate effect.
He said several complaints had been made against Mohamed Apandi but no official report had been made on the allegations against him.
In the absence of Mohamed Apandi, the duties of the Attorney-General, including attending the meeting of the Pardons Board tomorrow, would be performed by the Solicitor-General, he said at a press conference after a meeting with secretaries-general of ministries at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.
The Pardons Board is meeting tomorrow with regard to the case of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"The Solicitor-General has the authority to discharge the duties of the Attorney-General.
"The position of the Attorney-General is a little difficult because he has just been given a contract and (we) have to follow the law. Several measures must be taken for a suspension, so the Attorney-General is asked to go on leave.
"While he is on leave, the Solicitor-General can stand in for him and perform his duties. We still have the Solicitor-General to discharge the duties of the Attorney-General," he said.
Dr Mahathir said the government would be able to initiate an investigation against Mohamed Apandi if there was a police report on the allegations against him, and it would probably be able to suspend the Attorney-General and take other action, such as barring him from going abroad.
Asked if Mohamed Apandi was being asked to go on leave because of the alleged cover-up of several cases, he said: "Yes, there have been complaints against the AG. But no formal report. On that basis, we gave him a holiday."
Asked why Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad resigned today, Dr Mahathir said that was his choice.
"After the investigation, he may be just removed or he can resign, take leave, go on holiday. Meantime, if the investigation reveals there is a case against him, we will take action," he said firmly.
Asked if more officers or secretaries-general of ministries would be suspended due to complaints of wrongdoing, Dr Mahathir said that at the moment, the government would need to get a proper report before acting to suspend any officer.
"I want to do it according to the rules and procedures. I would want to take action as soon as possible. That is why I worked the whole day and two days ago to speed up the process. I can't predict the time the investigation will be ready. I hope to take a concrete step in a week," he said.
Without disclosing names, Dr Mahathir said that besides former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, a restriction on travel abroad had been imposed also on several other people.
He said their passports were not being withheld but the Immigration Department had been informed that these people were prohibited from leaving the country.
Asked if the leaders were blacklisted because of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MBD) issue and other corruption cases, Dr Mahathir said: "These are not blacklisted cases. But they are being investigated for various offences that the public had reported on their wrongdoings. I haven't received (the names of) who are they from the investigators.
"We will take action if necessary to stop them from leaving the country while the investigation is ongoing."
Dr Mahathir denied that the name of political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was on the list of people to be subjected to investigation.
He also said that the government had yet to make an official request to the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) for the arrest of Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) but said 'we roughly know' his whereabouts.
When asked how the government would bring Jho Low back to Malaysia, Dr Mahathir answered: "Leave it to us, I don't go and catch people, there are agencies which are tasked to catch people.”
Asked about the policeman, Sirul Azhar Umar, one of two persons convicted for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, and who was currently being detained for having overstayed in Australia, Dr Mahathir said the government could not do everything at the same time but promised that all the wrongdoings of the previous government would be investigated. — Bernama