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©The Malay Mail (Used by permission)

“IT is up to them.”

This was the comment given by Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan about a legal suit that might be taken against him and his enforcement officers by the Malaysian Bar Council over the arrest of Edmund Bon.

Bon, who is also the Bar’s Human Rights Committee chairman, had been charged at the Kuala Lumpur Court on Monday with obstructing City Hall enforcement officers from removing banners and posters in front of the Bar Council building in Leboh Pasar Besar, Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday.

Ab Hakim told The Malay Mail that he was not aware about the matter and added that his officers were merely carrying out their duties.

In a statement posted on the Bar Council official website yesterday, the Council said they decided to refer the case to their team of counsel, with a possible suit filed against the mayor and his officers after members viewed and studied the videos, pictures and eye-witness statements taken over the arrest during an emergency meeting on Monday.

“Council members expressed shock over the high-handedness and deliberate victimisation by a local authority tantamount to a misfeasance of public office in ruining the Human Rights Day celebrations held within the Bar’s premises and the rented open car park space on Sunday,” confirmed Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan when contacted yesterday.

Ab Hakim said that the officers are empowered under the Advertisement Bylaws to enter into any premises to remove any unlicensed banners or advertisements.

He also added that the removal of the banners by officers is a normal practice by City Hall.

“These banners can be placed anywhere, even on street lights. Without licences, the officers will remove them.”

He said that to obtain licences, proper submissions must be made.

“There are two categories of licences — one which needs short notice to be given, while another which requires a long notice.”

The licencing officer will decide on the approval, taking into account the nature of the event for the banners.

Ab Hakim also said that from his records he does not think that his officers had used any force.

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