Cabinet agrees to let select committee vet public prosecutor picks

PETALING JAYA: The government has agreed to amend the bill separating the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor to allow a parliamentary select committee to vet candidates for the top prosecutorial post before they are appointed.

The legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department said the Cabinet had agreed to amend Clause 18 of the proposed Article 145A under the Constitution (Amendment) (No 2) Bill 2026 after considering feedback from government and opposition MPs, legal experts, and civil society groups.

The division said that under the revised provision, candidates for the public prosecutor’s post will have their names submitted to the Dewan Rakyat speaker, who will table them before the lower house.

“The Dewan Rakyat must, after the candidates are vetted by a select committee, make a recommendation to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission.

“The commission shall then advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the appointment of the public prosecutor based on the select committee’s recommendation,” it said in a statement.

The amendment is expected to be tabled for debate during the Dewan Rakyat’s current meeting on July 13.

The bill was first tabled for its first reading on Feb 23, but faced objections from MPs on both sides.

It was later referred to a bipartisan parliamentary special select committee, which spent about three months reviewing and redrafting the proposed changes.

It requires at least 148 votes, or two-thirds of the 222-member Dewan Rakyat, to pass.