It’s not a walk in the park, Apandi tells successor

KUALA LUMPUR: the hot seat!”

This was outgoing attorneygeneral Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali’s message to his successor, Tommy Thomas, upon receiving news of the latter’s appointment.

In brief text messages to the New Straits Times Press yesterday, Apandi congratulated Thomas, but accompanied his message with strong advice over what to expect in shouldering his new duties.

“Congratulations. All the best. Good luck in the hot seat. It is not a walk-in-the-park job. It is a tough one,” he said.

On whether the appointment took effect from the date of announcement or at the end of Apandi’s one-month leave, he said he was uncertain about the matter.

“The dates are not mentioned (in the official announcement by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V), but I presume it must be after my unrecorded leave.

“But we may have to wait for the next announcement by the government,” he added.

Sultan Muhammad V had given his consent earlier yesterday to the appointment of Thomas as the new A-G.

In a statement, Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja Datuk Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said His Majesty had, on the advice of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, given his consent to the appointment according to Article 145(1) of the Federal Constitution.

“The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also called on all Malaysians to accept that the appointment of the Attorney-General should not create religious or racial conflict as every Malaysian should be fairly treated regardless of race and religion,” he said.

He said that the appointment would continue to preserve the special rights and privileges of the Malays and Bumiputeras, as well as the status of Islam as the Federal religion.