Govt does not intend to give prosecution power to MACC - Paul Low

The government has no plan to empower the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to fully initiate prosecution in corruption cases without referring to the Attorney-General.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan said this was to provide a check and balance in the investigation and prosecution of cases.

"It has also become a practice in almost every country in the world where a decision to initiate, conduct or discontinue any proceeding is made by the public prosecutor and not influenced by the investigating agency," he said in a written reply to a question from William Leong Jee Keen (PKR-Selayang) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Leong wanted to know the reason the government refused to grant prosecution power to MACC and measures taken to protect prosecuting officers.

Low said as a country that practices democracy where the principle of separation of power is the pillar, it has become a practice, which is accepted as the best, for an agency which conducts investigation to not conclude its own investigation.

However, to facilitate matters, the deputy public prosecutors from the Attorney-General's Chambers are placed at the MACC headquarters and most of the states," he added.