BERNAMA
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 8 (Bernama) –– The lack of a quorum for the Bar Council's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) last Sunday showed that the Malaysian legal fraternity did not share its views, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim (pic), said Wednesday.
"The Government's view is that the lack of quorum exemplifies the conclusion that the legal fraternity, especially practitioners, are not of the same view as the Council," he said.
He was speaking to reporters after receiving a courtesy call by the British Minister in the Government Department of Constitutional Affairs, David Lammy, at his office here.
Rais was commenting on the failure of the Council to convene its EGM due to lack of quorum.
The EGM was called to discuss the setting up of an independent judicial commission to decide on all future appointments and transfers of judges. It was aborted when the meeting fell short of some 800 members.
On the Council's proposal for an independent judicial commission, Rais said the question of authority in selecting judges ought to be constitutionally approached and not treated in a "trade union–like" manner.
"What I have seen is the current setting of a trade union. You have an EGM, you pass over resolution and want the Government of the day to follow suit. I believe lawyers should have thought better than that," he said.
In this regard, Rais agreed with the younger lawyers, most of whom chose not to attend the EGM as they felt the issue of setting up a commission was not part and parcel of the Council's objectives.
He said it was noteworthy for the Bar Council to give more attention to the standard of practice and legal education among the lawyers, besides taking care of their welfare.
On his meeting with Lammy, Rais said both of them discussed ways of enhancing ties between Malaysia and Britain in terms of legal administration.
"We agreed on the possibility of forging cooperation in the study of legal practices such as arbitration. We also want to broaden cooperation in the pracitice of maritime and aviation law," he said.
––BERNAMA