PUTRAJAYA – Newly-minted Attorney-General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh has asserted that he will hold no punches in minimising the prevalence of issues involving race, religion, and royalty (3R) in Malaysia.
However, during his maiden speech at the opening of the legal year 2024, he urged all stakeholders to respect the prerogatives of the public prosecutor, who is not bound to furnish any reason while discharging constitutional obligations.
“We are aware of the danger of misusing and manipulating issues relating to (3R), which tend to disrupt and endanger people’s peaceful lives and national security,” he said at Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.
“I will not hesitate to bring any offender before the face of justice and take stern actions – subject to evidence – to maintain peace and order in this country, including invoking the Sedition Act 1948 (Act 15) and other written laws,”
Terrirudin added that the public prosecutor must be permitted to carry out its duties within the federal constitution and any written laws without “unnecessary external interference”.
He also underscored the importance of acting fairly towards all parties without being selective, although certain matters may “appear to look frivolous or trivial”, as the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) must always practice professionalism when responding to matters.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged the Malaysian Bar’s role in the local legal fraternity, while expressing willingness to work with the association to improve the legal system and jurisprudence.
To maintain the public’s confidence in the justice system, he said the most optimal method will be for the judiciary, AGC, and the Bar to enhance their cooperation in delivering justice.
Meanwhile, Terrirudin shared that the nation’s decisive victory in the Sulu Sultanate case, which led to the conviction of Spanish arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa, was one of the agency’s most prominent achievements last year.
He added that the AGC also succeeded in defending the government’s interests in several public interest cases, such as election petitions and suits between high-profile people.
They include the case between Datuk Peter Anthony and Tenom MP Riduan Rubin, Salconmas Sdn Bhd, against the Home Ministry’s chief secretary, as well as Kartini Farah Abdul Rahim against the police.
“The high success rate in defending these cases is attributed to the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and operating the government machinery in tandem with the spirit of the federal constitution and other existing laws,” he said. – January 15, 2024
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