Bersatu vice-president Radzi Jidin said Azalina’s comments showed Umno’s true colours.

Pengerang MP Azalina, a former law minister, was reported to have said yesterday that whoever became prime minister would usually “appoint one of their own to become the AG”.

The current attorney-general, Idrus Harun, was appointed after Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin took office as the prime minister of a Perikatan Nasional (PN) government in March 2020.

Radzi said the PN government had always respected civil servants and their authority, according to Astro Awani.

“Ask civil servants and the top government officials which government was the most harmonious with the civil service, that respected civil servants and their authority.

“We wanted to see civil servants move in line with the government in a harmonious manner,” said Radzi, who is also education minister in the current government led by Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Umno.

Radzi also said that there was a clear difference between PN’s convention and a special briefing for Umno members held yesterday.

He said Umno leaders and members at the special briefing had voiced dissatisfaction with the judiciary which had affirmed former prime minister Najib Razak’s conviction and sentence in the SRC International case.

On the other hand, PN’s convention had placed emphasis on integrity, the people’s welfare and how to build a better Malaysia for future generations.

“That shows the difference in priorities between PN and BN,” he said. “That’s why Muhyiddin said yesterday that the difference between PN and BN was like the sky and the earth.”

Azalina was also criticised by Thomas Fann, chairman of the electoral reform group, Bersih.

He said Azalina had apparently changed her stance from her previous position of wishing to separate the roles of the attorney-general as legal adviser to the government and his concurrent role as the public prosecutor. She had also spoken previously about not interfering with matters of the court.

Fann said he was puzzled and disappointed with Azalina’s remarks yesterday about appointing an attorney-general. He reiterated there was a need for an independent public prosecutor, free of influence from the executive branch of government.