Loyar Burok

• 23 July 2016
• 0 comments

This Malaysian term describes a person who, knowing little or nothing of the law, pronounces on it. It can be extended to cover persons who, though legally qualified, so far forget their professional ethics as to protect  persons whom the law, which they nominally profess, should act against.

On that basis the questionably legal Attorney General Apandi qualifies for the title heading ths piece. Burok through misconduct rather than ignorance of the law. This fact is well known to the entire Malaysian legal professoin and the Bar Council itself is censuring Apandi for misuse of powers that his office does not possess.

Whether or not Apandi was appointed in the manner prescribed in the Constitution; that is by the Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister is doubtful.  One evening Gani Patail was the legally appointed AG and next morning Apandi was sitting in his chair. Hardly time for a reasoned appointment and still less for the PM to recommend and the Agong to appoint!  In fact, as everyone knows Gani was removed in hours after Naib learned, from a very senior stool pigeon, that the former had approved an application for Najib’s arrest.

But even if one accepts that Apandi was legally appointed to his office the matter does not end there.  Since taking that office he has displayed a level of incompetence unacceptable even in a newly called barrister let alone a former Judge. To ascribe his actions to incomptence is too kind; though only a real fool would have displayed, at a press conference convened by himself, documents PROVING that Najib is a common thief while “clearing” him of all criminal liability and  blame.

Apandi’s dog like devotion to master crook Najib survived even the utterly damning US Department of Justice expose of the massive frauds at 1MDB. Why? One could blame the money and honours showered on him by Najib in return for immunity from prosecution. Or is it more down  to the fact that Apandi knows that whoever else goes to jail over 1MDB he is certain to.

A final point and a way to remove him from office and lift the roadblock to Najib’s arrest that  Apandi represents.  Although the Constitution provides for the appointment of an Attorney General by the Agong acting on the Prime Minister’s advice it also has another provision. It clearly and unequivocally states that an Attorney General holds office at the Agong’s pleasure. Thus the Agong could remove Apandi from office without Najib having any say in the matter

Malaysia can get on very well without an AG and with that hurdle gone there is nothing to stop the arrest and prosecution of Najib for his enormous crimes. To you to act, Your Majesty, to save Malaysias’ good name and avoid the need for future Constitutional amendment.