Tajuddin said the appointment must follow the Federal Constitution, amid controversy over Thomas’ nomination as the first non-Malay and non-Muslim to the government’s top legal adviser post. ― Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 ― Umno MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman sees no impediment in the Pakatan Harapan government’s choice of non-Muslim senior lawyer Tommy Thomas to be the next Attorney General (AG).

The Pasir Salak federal lawmaker only said the appointment must follow the Federal Constitution, amid controversy over Thomas’ nomination as the first non-Malay and non-Muslim to the government’s top legal adviser post.

“I believe the party does not have a problem with the appointment as long as the AG is someone who can conduct his duties well and will not be the prime minister’s ‘yes man’,” he told a news conference at the Putra World Trade Centre here this evening.

“The appointment by the prime minister can be proposed to the Agong, according to the Constitution. It needs the approval of the Agong. If they don’t get the approval, then find some other suitable candidate,” he said, referring to the Yang-di Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.

Tajuddin said the ruling government has to ensure the next AG is someone who can be impartial, after having criticised the incumbent Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali who has since been put on garden leave.

“They had said many things about Apandi Ali, how he was biased towards the government. Now they have to make sure the nominee proposed is someone who does not follow orders blindly, someone who is independent,” he said.

Thomas is the government’s sole nominee to be AG and had reportedly received the unanimous support of Pakatan Harapan leaders.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was earlier reported by news portal Malaysiakini saying the government will not be nominating anyone else.

The Conference of Rulers will be meeting at Istana Negara on Tuesday to discuss the AG’s appointment, after disagreeing with the government’s nomination.