Malaysian PM Mahathir clashes with royals over choice of Attorney-General

Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, on June 1, 2018. PHOTO: AFP
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

KUALA LUMPUR - It has taken just weeks for Malaysia's new leader Tun Mahathir Mohamad to clash with the country's influential royals, in an episode reminiscent of his first reign which lasted 22 years.

At issue is a deadlock over the choice of Attorney-General (A-G) - a powerful post with discretionary powers of prosecution. As the tussle enters its second week, it is Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) Prime Minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim who has established closer relations with the palaces.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.