KUALA LUMPUR: Careful consideration is still needed to determine if the Attorney-General (AG) should be made accountable to Parliament and his powers of prosecution detached, said Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

       The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department noted in view the proposed separation (prosecution powers) requires amendments to the Federal Constitution, the government had to be careful.

       Wan Junaid, who was responding in writing to a question raised by Datuk Johari Abdul (PH-Sungai Petani) in Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 26), said there were still uncertainties over the implementation of the proposal at the moment.

       "This includes whether there is a need to place the AG under the powers of Parliament and not the Prime Minister, which has yet to be finalised," he said.

       He said the AG's Department is currently carrying out a study on the proposal as part of the National Anti Corruption Plan (NACP) 2019-2023.

       He noted the study, among others, had taken into account the best global practice involving nine countries.

       He added the study also included the structure and implementation of an independent public prosecutors office.

       "The finding of the study has been finalised and related proposed constitutional amendments identified," he said.

       However, Wan Junaidi said that the government will have till 2023 to decide on the implementation of the NACP proposal.