COMMENT | I refer to Attorney-General Idrus Harun’s press release yesterday on his reasons for compounding Serba Dinamik and its executives RM16 million, instead of pursuing the maximum penalty which includes imprisonment of up to 10 years.

At the outset, I welcome his willingness to provide reasons for this decision which generate great public interest. This culture of transparency, which was lacking in the past, ought to continue moving forward.

That being said, with the greatest of respect, the justifications provided by the attorney-general are questionable.

The thrust of the attorney-general’s reasons is the alleged “economic consequences” towards Serba Dinamik’s employees, shareholders and creditors, which are supposedly disproportionate to the criminal charges.

If we look at the timeline, this reasoning...