Kuala Lumpur, 14 January 2026: The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) welcomes the reform pledges outlined by Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim during his New Year 2026 address. The upcoming parliamentary sitting will be an important test if these commitments can translate into lasting institutional change.

Among these pledges, the proposed separation of powers between the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor is particularly significant. This reform is essential in a democracy like Malaysia, where prosecutorial independence and integrity are critical to maintaining public confidence in governance. IDEAS supports the government’s intention to legislate this separation and views its tabling as a key measure of reform credibility.This reform was also highlighted in IDEAS’ 2024 Reforming Our Institutions: Blueprint for Reforms, which outlined priority institutional changes to strengthen governance and uphold the rule of law. Developed with civil society organisations and parliamentary stakeholders, the blueprint underscored the importance of clearly separating advisory and prosecutorial functions in key legal institutions. IDEAS has long advocated for this reform, including through a policy paper published in 2016.

“The separation of roles between the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor is long overdue. The fusion of the two roles lies at the heart of the mistrust the public feels towards institutions and the justice system. We cannot overstate the urgency of separating the two roles. Malaysia needs to take this crucial step to restore public trust, uphold the rule of law and safeguard our democracy,” said Aira Azhari, IDEAS CEO.

IDEAS also emphasises the importance of progress on other institutional reforms, particularly the introduction of a comprehensive, transparent, and robust political financing bill. The government has previously indicated that a nationwide public perception study on political financing was being undertaken, with completion expected by the end of last year.

IDEAS urges the government to make the findings of this study public to enable open and informed discussion on the proposed legislation. Passing a political financing act before the next general election would send a strong signal of the government’s commitment to addressing political corruption and the influence of money in politics.

“The upcoming parliamentary sitting will be closely watched by IDEAS and other civil society organisations, who have pushed for these reforms to be implemented for a long time. While these reforms are urgently needed, we also caution against the rushed tabling of the proposed constitutional amendments and bills, and allow sufficient time for MPs and CSOs to scrutinise them. Parliamentary Special Select Committees (PSSCs) must also be allowed to play their role in ensuring these reforms are sufficiently scrutinised and delivered,” ends Aira.

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For enquiries, please contact:
Ryan Panicker,
Assistant Manager, Advocacy and Events
T: 03 – 2070 8881/8882 | E: ryannesh@ideas.org.my