PAP: HRI KUMAR RESIGNED FROM PAP, SO NO PROBLEM WITH D-AG APPOINTMENT

Deputy Attorney-General designate Hri Kumar Nair is no longer a People’s Action Party member, the party said on Friday (17 Feb) in response to TODAY’s queries. It declined to say why Nair resigned.

His appointment to the post has ruffled many feathers, especially due to his high profile run-ins with the Workers’ Party (WP) over the Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council issue.

This is the first time a former MP will take on a prosecutorial function in Singapore’s judiciary.

Although the mainstream media cites lawyers and legal academics who claim that the appointment has no problems, WP MP and lawyer Sylvia Lim, who is also the chairman of the WP, called Hri’s appointment “not ideal”.

She added: “It is critical that persons entrusted with vast prosecutorial discretion act in the public interest, and not for partisan political gain … Whether my concerns prove to be founded or otherwise — remains to be seen”.

Mr Nair could not be reached for comments.