(July 29): As lawyers debate on the legality of replacing the attorney-general (A-G), Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has urged the Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to clear up the matter.

He said Gani, who was reported in the press saying he did not know of his replacement, should state whether he had resigned or not.

Gani's clarification is important as, by law, the A-G can only be removed through a tribunal.

"The prime minister can only apply to have a tribunal set up to look into the A-G's removal and based on valid reasons.

"He cannot sack him. So unless Gani has resigned, he should still be the A-G.

"If he has resigned, then he should come out and say when he tendered his resignation," Lim told a press conference at Komtar today.

Gani was terminated as A-G yesterday, although he was due to retire on October 6. He was replaced by Federal Court judge Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.

Gani was also known to be having a kidney ailment.

His removal coincided with the sacking of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as deputy prime minister and several other Barisan Nasional leaders from the cabinet who had questioned Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over his handling of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy.

Gani had also been a member of the high-level government task force probing into alleged wrongdoing at 1MDB, as well as allegations published by The Wall Street Journal that money from the companies linked to the state investor had been moved to Najib's personal bank accounts.

Lim said the matter should be cleared up because there was now no certainty and clarity as to who was the rightful A-G.

"As a state government we also have legal matters to deal with the A-G Chambers. Who do we refer to now?

"And Gani himself has been silent on whether he had vacated his post," he said. – The Malaysian Insider