It is a privilege for me to accept this United Nations Award on behalf of the Malaysian Bar’s almost 14,800 Members, 25 past Presidents, and its past and present Bar Council members.
The Malaysian Bar is both honoured and humbled by this award, which recognises the outstanding contributions of organisations in Malaysia in the areas of human rights, social justice and equality. We, the Bar, thank the United Nations for this privilege.
This United Nations Award is undoubtedly the most prestigious award ever received by the Malaysian Bar.
The Malaysian Bar is being recognised for the work it has carried out in fulfilment of its principal statutory purpose, namely, “to uphold the cause of justice without regard to its own interests or that of its members, uninfluenced by fear or favour”. The Bar has also undertaken many initiatives in order to “protect and assist the public in all matters touching ancillary or incidental to the law”, another statutorily–mandated function.
In its sixty–six years of existence, the Malaysian Bar has consistently and unhesitatingly stood up for rights and freedoms, and for justice. The Bar has, for example:
condemned the existence, and use, of oppressive and unjust laws such as the Internal Security Act 1960 and other security laws; publicly advocated for the preservation of the independence of the Judiciary, particularly during the 1988 judicial crisis, and the video clip scandal involving VK Lingam and Ahmad Fairuz;
publicly advocated for the protection and promotion of our constitutional fundamental liberties and that Malaysia is a secular state; and provided legal representation to uphold the human rights of marginalised and vulnerable individuals and groups, including the Orang Asli and Orang Asal, and other minorities.
Over the years the Malaysian Bar’s work has earned it not only bouquets, but also brickbats in equal measure. Public rebuke and protests against the Malaysian Bar, and warnings of physical violence — even death threats — against its leaders have not, and will not, dissuade the Malaysian Bar from fulfilling its purpose, and acting true to its values and responsibilities.
The Malaysian Bar has come a long way in its relationship with the Executive and the Judiciary in the last twenty–five years. Whilst the passage of time has not seen any change to the values and causes that the Malaysian Bar champions, it has witnessed dramatic improvements in the Bar’s relationship with these two pillars of democracy.
It would have been unimaginable, twenty–five years ago, for the then–Prime Minister of Malaysia to have publicly acknowledged that, “The Malaysian Bar is an important partner in the rule of law and the administration of justice. When it speaks, we listen.”
Yet, almost a month ago, our Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak uttered these words at the Malaysian Bar’s International Malaysia Law Conference 2012.
At the same event, the Chief Justice of Malaysia, Tun Arifin Zakaria, described the Bar as “an equal partner in the administration of justice”.
It is the Malaysian Bar’s hope that this collaboration will develop into an effective partnership, characterised by commonality of aspiration and purpose for a Malaysia where the rule of law and human rights are protected and promoted, regardless of class, race, gender, or membership of minority groups.
Recent events suggest that we will continue to face challenges and difficulties in the exercise of our freedoms of speech and assembly, and our right to vote, as well as in the elimination of discrimination against, and promotion of equality for, minorities.
The Malaysian Bar pledges to continue lending its advocacy, both in the public arena and in the courtroom, to defending freedoms and rights, and to realising the nation’s aspirations for an inclusive and functioning democracy.
Thank you.
Lim Chee Wee
President
Malaysian Bar
24 Oct 2012