16 high-profile cases dropped by Attorney General - Azalina
May 26, 2023 
16 high-profile cases dropped by Attorney General - Azalina
Azalina said that the clause gives discretion to the Attorney General to make a decision to start, conduct or stop any proceedings for an offence. - Image file
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 16 high profile cases have been dropped by the Attorney General since 2018 until 2023 under Clause (3) Article 145 of the Federal Constitution.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Legal and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said that the clause gives discretion to the Attorney General to make a decision to start, conduct or stop any proceedings for an offence.
"Out of the total of 16 cases, the court has ordered 13 cases to be released and acquitted of charges and the other three cases to be released without acquittal under Section 254(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
"The Attorney-General's Department decided to drop the high-profile case after considering, among other things, the new development of a case, the representation presented by the accused's defense counsel, the accused being released and acquitted from the charge of being a prosecution witness, or the accused being compounded," he said.
He said this in a written answer to an oral question by the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh, Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan in the Dewan Rakyat.
Muhammad Fawwaz asked the Prime Minister to state the data of high profile cases that have been dropped by the Attorney General from 2018 to 2023 and the reasons for dropping the cases.
Commenting further, Azalina who is also the Member of Parliament for Pengerang said, the Attorney General's Department insists that the decision to charge or drop charges against any person is based on the evidence and facts resulting from the investigation.
He said, the decision made was fair based on the evidence in the investigation paper, based on the core of integrity to ensure that the victims, witnesses, accused and the public get due justice in accordance with the jurisdiction of the Attorney General provided under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution
