Lawyer R Kengadharan said Apandi was a contract officer and served at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“Prime Minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) could advise the king to remove Apandi in order for the government to appoint a new AG of its choice,” he told FMT.
Kengadharan said a contract AG could be terminated without compensation as he was appointed by the king on the advice of the government of the day.
Earlier today, an MP aligned to the government urged Apandi Ali to relinquish his post in light of new revelations regarding 1MDB by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Mohd Shukri Abdull.
Ramkarpal Singh, who is Bukit Gelugor MP, noted MACC’s claim yesterday that the Saudi prince whom former prime minister Najib Razak alleged had given him RM2.6 billion as a donation could not prove it with any supporting documents.
He also noted claims by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) that the money had in fact been diverted from 1MDB.
Apandi had, in a highly publicised press conference on Jan 26, 2016, declared that the RM2.6 billion was a donation from the Saudi royal family and then cleared Najib of any wrongdoing.
Ramkarpal said it was likely that Apandi would be required to assist in the current investigations into the said RM2.6 billion claim by providing a statement to the authorities.
“As a former Federal Court judge, Apandi is well aware that it would be highly embarrassing for him to assist in such investigations as a sitting AG and, as such, he must resign forthwith.” said Ramkarpal, who is also a lawyer.
Apandi’s three year contract will expire on July 27 and the previous Barisan Nasional government last month gave him another three year extension.
Last week Apandi was told to go on a 30-day unrecorded leave and Solicitor-General Engku Nor Faizah Engku Atek is standing in for him.
Kengadharan said it was frightening to note that the prosecution arm had no AG-cum public prosecutor when law enforcement agencies like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had intensified investigations into 1MDB.
“Right now, who is advising Putrajaya without the AG who is also the chief legal adviser to the government?” he asked, adding that any further delay in the appointment could trigger public alarm.
Apandi has yet to respond to a Whatsapp message sent to him earlier in the day on Ramkarpal’s statement.
Resign over latest MACC revelations, Ramkarpal tells AG Apandi