An opposition leader today urged the government to restore the Attorney-General's position to cabinet status ensuring parliamentary accountability but stressed the appointee should not hold any active political party positions.

"The appointee should not hold active political party office so as not to compromise the independence and impartiality of the office," said DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang in a statement.

Lim was responding to a New Sunday Times report today which said AG Ainum Mohd Saaid had tendered her resignation due to health reasons.

The daily also quoted Minister in the Prime Minister's department Dr Rais Yatim as saying that there would be "movements" at the top level of the AG chambers soon.

However, another media report speculated that Ainum who assumed her position in January this year, was slated for promotion as a Federal Court judge.

Whatever the reason, Lim said, the vacancy should re-open the issue as to whether it should be a political appointment with cabinet status directly answerable and accountable to parliament, or whether it should be a judicial and legal service appointment divorced from partisan politics, said Lim.

Public perception

Malaysia started off with the system of an AG who is a cabinet minister before it was replaced by a strictly non-political appointment from the judicial and legal service.

According to Lim the problem with the non-political appointment is that parliament could not exercise oversight in ensuring accountability and transparency from the AG and this creates a national crisis of confidence in the administration of justice.

"This happens when there are widespread public perceptions about gross abuse of powers by the AG in bending to the wishes of the powers-that-be," he said.

In the interests of greater parliamentary accountability and transparency, the appointment of the AG as a cabinet one has considerable merits, provided the holder is a good parliamentarian he added.

Lim said the present crop of cabinet ministers are distinguished by their absence rather than presence in parliament.