1. DAPSY fully supports Jelutong MP RSN Rayer’s call for the Attorney General (AG) to review the decision to discontinue prosecution against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in relation to his 47 corruption charges, including the possibility to resume prosecution against him should the evidence and legal circumstances be solid and justified, in order to uphold the spirit of equality before the law.
2. DAPSY views Rayer’s call as being about more than just a particular case, for it also concerns the credibility of the country’s institutional reform agenda.
3. Given that the Madani government has demonstrated its political will to combat corruption by taking action against multiple former ministers and politicians, its credibility could be undermined if the same standards are not applied to politicians within the government.
4. The government’s efforts in eradicating corruption must not allow the existence of any grey areas or “special political zones” that create room for exceptions. It is only by applying the same standards to all cases that the government can strengthen the rule of law and rebuild public confidence in its institutional reform agenda against corruption.
5. Given that the High Court determined in 2022 that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Zahid, the AG’s decision to grant a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) and subsequently take no further action (NFA) in the trial has led to the Malaysian Bar filing a judicial review. Over the long term, developments surrounding the case risk further eroding public confidence in the country’s judicial and prosecutorial institutions.
6. As such, public concern over this case underscores the urgency of strengthening transparency and accountability within these institutions.
7. In particular, the AG must apply the highest standards of transparency when dealing with high-profile cases involving the public interest by explaining in detail the legal basis and reasons relied upon in arriving at the decision that there is insufficient evidence to support the charges.
8. In view of the growing concerns surrounding the controversial case, the AG has to demonstrate its unwavering professionalism in exercising its prosecutorial power in order to fully address and allay public’s concerns over the independence of the prosecution system.
9. DAPSY also emphasises the need for the government to accelerate its institutional reform agenda, particularly the separation of the roles and powers of the AG and the Public Prosecutor, in order to greatly reduce the risk of political interference in the prosecution system.
10. Malaysian youths have had enough of the old political narratives and are calling for a New Politics based on political integrity, accountability and procedural justice. Therefore, any dilution of the rule of law in the name of political stability would severely undermine youth’s confidence in the country’s democratic transformation.
11. Young Malaysians want institutions that are clean, transparent, and committed to applying the same standards across the board. As such, DAPSY calls upon the AG to demonstrate its commitment to safeguarding the administration of justice by reviewing the evidence and charges in the Yayasan Akalbudi case. Malaysia can progress towards a truly mature democratic society only by upholding the rule of law and ensuring that political considerations do not override justice.