KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh has requested to view Putrajaya’s letter informing Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail of his termination as Attorney-General to determine if the conduct was lawful.
Saying that Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali’s assurances that his predecessor’s removal was in line with the Federal Constitution may be prone to bias, the Bukit Gelugor MP said Putrajaya must reveal its actions in replacing Gani to safeguard the integrity of investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
He explained that illegality in removing Gani would render Apandi’s appointment doubtful, which could consequently affect his role in the special taskforce that is investigating the indebted state investment firm.
“In the circumstances, and in the public interest, I have written to the Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia, Tan Sri Ali Hamsa, who announced Gani’s removal on the 28th July,2015, today to be furnished with a copy of Gani’s letter of removal for the needful to be done to determine if the said removal was lawful or not within two days.
“I urge Tan Sri Ali Hamsa to accede to my said request as the matter is certainly in the public interest and can only be resolved judicially,” he said in a statement today.
Last Tuesday, Ali Hamsa announced that Gani’s service as AG ended effective July 27 due to health reasons, but the latter claimed to be unaware of the development.
Prior to his removal, Gani had provided legal advice to a multi-agency taskforce probing the state-owned firm 1MDB.
The Malaysian Bar has stated that Gani’s removal was unconstitutional as his rank has been reduced to that of a judicial and legal services officer until his mandatory retirement on October 6, but without the legally required hearing taking place.
