(Nov 12): Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali has admitted he stood as an Umno candidate for the 1990 general election, but denied that this had any influence on his role as Attorney-General (A-G).

"Yes, I was a candidate but everyone needs to be reminded that every judicial commissioner, High Court judge, Court of Appeal judge and Federal Court judge have to take an oath of office to uphold the rule of law.

"So, what bias are they talking about?" Apandi told The Malaysian Insider.

He said such incidences were not unusual, as Datuk Ariff Yussof, who contested on a PAS ticket in the 2004 general election, was later appointed judicial commissioner in 2008.

Apandi added that he himself was appointed judicial commissioner in 2003, 13 years after he contested in the 1990 general election.

The A-G said this when asked to comment on 2004 court documents seen by The Malaysian Insider, in which he revealed he stood as an Umno candidate in the 1990 general election.

Apandi was then presiding as a judge for the case at the Kelantan High Court, and had been responding to an application to recuse him on the grounds that he was biased.

"... that I stood as a candidate for Umno in the 1990 general elections is a situation that goes back to some 14 years ago," wrote Apandi, in dismissing the recuse application on April 18, 2004.

In an exclusive interview with The Malaysian Insider published on Tuesday, Apandi had denied that he had ever held the post of the Kelantan Umno treasurer, despite numerous reports stating otherwise.

Apandi said the highest official position he held was that of the Umno Youth Chief in the Pengkalan Chepa division in Kelantan.

But the former Federal Court judge was quick to add that his post in Umno was “nothing” and had no links to the state liaison committee.

He was also known as Umno's “legal adviser” because he handled the party's election petitions after the 1982 general election.

But in the party constitution, there was no post known as the legal adviser, said Apandi.

While some would argue that even without holding any positions, his long years in Umno would make him beholden to the party, Apandi felt otherwise.

He said he had spent a far longer time in the Malaysian Bar: 12 years, as opposed to nine years in Umno.

“I've been a victim of wrong perception, because, as far as I'm concerned, my short tenure in Umno – obviously I didn't hold any high posts – have been used (against me) to say that I am an Umno man and whatnot.

“But, on the other hand, I was more active in the Bar.” – The Malaysian Insider