Azalina: Govt launches power separation initiative for legal reform, first empirical study to take place in Canada in May
KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, today announced that the power separation initiative involving the attorney general and public prosecutor will be implemented in phases over a period of two years through empirical studies in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
She said the Legal Affairs Division and the Attorney General’s Chambers will serve as joint secretaries for both committees.
“Both committees will ensure that this empirical study is comprehensively conducted, taking into account the implementation of power separation in other countries as well as the views of stakeholders within the country,” she said in a statement today.
She added that the implementation of the study was approved by the Cabinet on January 31 and will be monitored by two committees which are the Comparative Study Committee and the Technical Committee.
She then went on to say that the first empirical study will take place in Canada in May of this year.
“This study will involve meetings with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Arif Virani, the Special Committee, and the Chief Prosecutor of Canada,” she added.
Azalina said a roundtable discussion is expected to be held at the University of Ottawa with the participation and collaboration of the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya, together with relevant legal experts.
She said the discussion in Canada will focus on detailed empirical studies and obtaining direct evidence regarding the best practices of power separation.
The study will look at various aspects such as protecting institutions during the appointment and removal of the public prosecutor, ensuring accountability by reporting to relevant bodies, examining the attorney general’s involvement in setting criminal justice policies, and assessing the structure and operations of prosecutor’s offices abroad.
“The implementation of this study demonstrates that the Madani government remains committed to institutional reform agendas, ensuring enhanced democratic governance aligned with good administration, legal systems, and effective governance practices,” she added.
