AG-PP Separation Demands Constitutional Amendment And Overhaul Of 21 Related Laws, Says Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 – Separating the dual roles of the Attorney-General (AG) and Public Prosecutor (PP) requires amending the Federal Constitution along with 21 related statutory laws, rendering an overnight split impossible, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said clarified.

Speaking to reporters at the Forum on Asian Insolvency Reform (FAIR) 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Azalina explained that executing the institutional separation demands a meticulous, multi-phased legislative approach across parliamentary sittings.

“If we do go to Parliament for a constitutional amendment, it cannot be done immediately. The implementation may take a year because of the 21 ancillary laws that we have to pass in Parliament,” Azalina pointed out. “That will take time because we have three sittings a year. So it’s not that if I do AG-PP today, I get the number and the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor is split tomorrow. It doesn’t work that way.”

Emphasizing that legislative reform demands disciplined execution, Azalina urged lawmakers across both government and opposition benches to transcend political ideologies and back the amendments to reach the required two-thirds parliamentary majority of at least 148 MPs.

“The separation of the AG-PP roles must transcend political ideologies because the parties that will ultimately benefit from it are the political parties themselves,” she asserted. “We do not want allegations of politically motivated prosecutions to arise following an election or a change of government. If we implement it now, it will bring greater benefits rather than harm to political parties and politicians.”

Azalina added that securing full backing from all 218 Members of Parliament would send a decisive signal to the public that political leaders stand united in reinforcing judicial independence and democratic accountability.

Legislative Scope, Bipartisan Support, and Implementation Timeline

Key parliamentary requirements, statutory scope, and reform goals include:

• Statutory Overhaul: Amending the Federal Constitution alongside 21 ancillary and related laws.
• Estimated Timeline: Up to one year to complete legislative passages across Parliament’s three annual sittings.
• Voting Threshold: Minimum two-thirds majority (148 out of 218 MPs) required in the Dewan Rakyat for constitutional approval.
• Core Objective: Protecting the prosecution system from claims of political interference following elections or government transitions.

–NMT