The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) welcomes the statement issued by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms), YB M. Kulasegaran, yesterday regarding the timeline for implementing the separation of powers between the Attorney General (AG) and the Public Prosecutor (PP). According to him, the government is prepared to table a draft bill (RUU) by the end of this year as the draft is now in its final stages of being studied.

This development aligns with the earlier demands of BERSIH and civil society organisations, urging the government to set a clearer timeline for implementing the separation of roles between the AG and PP. BERSIH also hopes that the drafted bill will account for input and suggestions from civil society organisations to strengthen the bill.

In the meantime, BERSIH also welcomes the statement from the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms), YB Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, that the Federal government has agreed in principle to enact the Freedom of Information Act and amend the Official Secrets Act 1972.

This positive development is in line with BERSIH’s call to declassify the report by the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC), as it was then known as, so that the report can be accessed by all parties. The ERC engaged in consultations for two years, which involved an amount of public funds, hence the public has the right to know the findings of these consultations.

BERSIH is optimistic that these developments will pave the way to strengthen Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy and advance the nation’s reform agenda for the good of the Rakyat.

Released by:
BERSIH Steering Committee