The Malaysian Cabinet approved constitutional amendments on July 9, 2026, to enhance Parliament’s role in scrutinizing and recommending candidates for the Public Prosecutor position [1, 2, 3].
The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026 separates the roles of the Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor. The Attorney General will remain the legal adviser to the King and Cabinet while the Public Prosecutor will exercise independent prosecutorial powers [1, 2, 3].
The Bill was first read in the Dewan Rakyat on February 23, 2026. On March 3, 2026, the House referred the Bill to a Special Select Committee consisting of 11 MPs from both government and opposition, which held seven meetings to review it [1, 2, 3].
After extensive consultations with MPs, legal experts, and civil society organisations, the Committee tabled its report with proposed amendments on June 22, 2026 [1, 2]. Clause (18) of Article 145A was revised to require candidate names for Public Prosecutor be submitted to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker. The names will then be scrutinized by the Select Committee before the Dewan Rakyat recommends them to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission [1, 2, 3].
The Judicial and Legal Service Commission will advise the King on appointments based on the Committee’s recommendations [1, 2, 3]. The amendments aim to guarantee greater parliamentary oversight over the Public Prosecutor’s appointment process.
The constitutional changes are set for debate at the Second Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 15th Parliament, beginning July 13, 2026 [2, 3].
