Make reform recommendations public? Only if I were a free agent, but I’m not, says PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 — The confidential report by the Institutional Reform Committee (IRC) and its seven recommendations that have been passed to the quasi-official Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) can only be made public once all Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties agree to it.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he alone does not have the authority to do so despite being prime minister, in reply to lawyer and former IRC member Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan during the regional LawAsia Constitutional and Rule of Law Conference 2019 here.

“Well if you ask me, I will release it, but I am not a free agent, I have other people and one has to remember we have five parties in the government, each one has got their own agenda.

“And if I am going to be democratic I have to consult them, and it depends upon the consensus that we achieve in the coalition,” he told Ambiga.

“But of course I like to be popular; you want me to release, I will,” he quipped.

Earlier, Ambiga requested that Dr Mahathir make the findings of the report public, saying the public were mature enough to provide constructive feedback, as opposed to outright condemnation.

“I was part of the team that was there, and I understand there may be some sensitive issues that you can redact, but I believe it is absolutely critical to release the report and get public feedback.

“After all, Tun, we were smart enough to vote you in, so I feel we are smart enough to give some feedback,” said Ambiga, triggering a round of applause.

The IRC, which falls under the CEP, comprised retired Court of Appeal judges Datuk KC Vohrah, Mah, Ambiga, National Patriots Association president Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji, and constitutional law expert Prof Datuk Shad Saleem Faruqi.