Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali said today he will study thoroughly the investigation papers on SRC International Sdn Bhd and a RM2.6-billion political donation submitted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

He noted that evidence had been compiled from over 100 witnesses.

"It's not just one file. So I have to go through them thoroughly with a fine-tooth comb," he told reporters at the opening of the Legal Year 2016 here.

The MACC said in a statement on Dec 31 that it had submitted the investigations papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers on that day.

SRC International is a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad. It was placed under the Finance Ministry in 2012.

In his speech, Mohamed Apandi said there must be a balance between the desire for accountability and transparency against the need for the retention of confidentiality of sensitive official information from the public eye.

This, he said, was to avoid misuse, particularly in high-profile, sensitive and complex cases and issues.

He reminded the audience that the Attorney-General's Chambers, as part of the apolitical Malaysian civil service, was bound by the legal constraints of the Official Secrets Act 1972, and the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.

It also had to adhere to internal directives as well as the specific secrecy and confidentiality provisions as contained in the laws enacted by Parliament, he said.

"Regardless of this in-built reticence in engaging with the media and public directly, the Chambers and I have found ourselves compelled to do so in dealing with several high-profile and public-interest cases," he said.