KUALA LUMPUR: The government is fine-tuning the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to probe the allegations highlighted in former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas' controversial memoir.
Minister in Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said the matter is being refined by the Legal Affairs Division under the Prime Minister's Department before it is presented to the Cabinet.
"The government has agreed with the establishment of the RCI to scrutinise issues related to the country's integrity of judicial and legal institutions, aside from presenting recommendations to reform the country's legal institutions.
"The matter is being refined by the division under the prime minister's department before presenting it to the Cabinet," she said in a parliamentary written reply to Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (Perikatan Nasional-Besut) on the status of the RCI establishment.
In January this year, the government agreed to the proposal to set up an RCI to probe the allegations made by Thomas in his controversial memoir, 'My Story: Justice in The Wilderness.'.
Azalina said the decision was made following recommendations given by the special task force investigating the issue.
She said the RCI, among others, would focus on finding recommendations to reform the country's legal institutions and not to find fault with any particular party.
Meanwhile, the special task force led by Datuk Seri Fong Joo Chung has identified 19 issues, which had been narrowed down to four main ones.
The four issues were allegations levelled against the judiciary; exposing government secrets; abuse of power and professional negligence; and, seditious statements.