(The Star) - The Government has no intention to hand over the power to prosecute corruption cases to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), without referring them to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz told Parliament Monday this was because there needed to be a check and balance or "independence of mind" between investigation and prosecution.

He said the Chief Commissioner and his officers were given the power to investigate under Section 7 of the MACC Act 2009 while the Federal Consitution empowered the Attorney-General to initiate, carry out or stop any proceedings except those before the syariah and military courts.

"In other countries, the authority to charge and prosecute lies with the A-G or prosecutors independent of any investigation agencies," he said in response to a question by Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong).