DEWAN RAKYAT A-G 'not accountable to Parliament'

THE Attorney-General will not be made answerable to Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said, for the A-G to be answerable to Parliament, he must be a member, and Section 48(1) of the Federal Constitution prevents any public officers from becoming members of Parliament.

Nazri was replying to a question by Zulkifli Noordin (Kulim Bandar Baru-PKR) on whether the government intends to make the post of A-G accountable to Parliament.

He said Article 145(1) of the Federal Constitution also provides that the A-G is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the prime minister and the candidate must be a person who is qualified to be a judge of the Federal Court.

"It means the candidate cannot be a member of the Dewan Negara or the Dewan Rakyat."