PETALING JAYA: The Bar Council has hit back at suggestions that it is biased and quick to condemn the police over the Bersih 3.0 rally last month.
Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee said both Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz would have understood the Bar’s position had they read the final report prepared by the observers.
“It is balanced and acknowledges good policing which facilitated peaceful assemblies in Johor Baru, Kuantan, Malacca and Ipoh and observations of unruly and violent behaviour on the part of some of the participants,” he said.
While insisting that the final report and the resolutions passed at the extraordinary general meeting last Friday were of the Bar and not just the Bar Council, Lim still hoped that the ministers would allow them to explain the report and engage with them.
“The Malaysian Bar has consistently spoken against any violation of human rights and failure to uphold the rule of law such as the 1988 judicial crisis, the 1998 police brutality during the crackdowns against the reformasi movement, and the Walk for Justice,” he said.
He also said the Bar Council could not be simply dissolved as suggested by Nazri, although members could always propose motions of no-confidence against the council members, which had happened in the past but were defeated.
Lim also said any Bar member had the right to set up his own association of lawyers, citing examples of the Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association and the Catholic Lawyers Society.
“However, only the Bar Council is empowered under the Act to set the standards, regulate and issue practising certificates,” he said.
Council member and the Bar’s constitutional law committee chairman Syahredzan Johan also criticised Nazri, saying his call for the dissolution of the council was a political statement.
“The minister is well aware that the Malaysian Bar and the Bar Council were created by an Act of Parliament. The Bar cannot dissolve itself into anything.
“This is a political statement and one which I do not think anyone should entertain.”
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8th LAWASIA Employment Law Conference, Cambodia (24 and 25 May 2013) Organised by The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (“LAWASIA”), this conference featuring Lia Alizia and Brian Williamson, will be held at Tara Angkor Hotel, Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Siem Reap, Cambodia, at 8:45 am to 7:00 pm and 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, on 24 and 25 May 2013 (Friday and Saturday), respectively. The conference carries 10 CPD points. Click on the link above for more details.
MSLSSL and MCLJ Conference on Employment and Labour Laws 2013 (30 May 2013) Organised by the Malaysian Society for Labour and Social Security Law and Malaysian Current Law Journal, this conference entitled “Current Issues on Employment and Labour Laws” will be held at 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, on 30 May 2013 (Thursday). The conference carries six CPD points. Click on the link above for more details.
International Arbitration Conference by CIArb Malaysia (22 to 24 Aug 2013) Organised by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, this conference will be held at Eastern & Oriental Hotel, 10 Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 George Town, Penang, from 22 to 24 Aug 2013 (Thursday to Saturday). The conference carries 10 CPD points. Early-bird rate ends on 30 Apr 2013. Click on the link above for more details.
“Transforming Criminal Justice” One-week Study Programme (25 to 29 Nov 2013) Organised by Public Administration International (“PAI”), this UK-based one-week study programme entitled “Transforming Criminal Justice: from Joined-up Justice to Multi-agency Approaches” will be held in London from 25 to 29 Nov 2013 (Monday to Friday). For further enquiries, please contact PAI by telephone at +44 (0)20 7580 3590, by fax at +44 (0)20 7580 4746, or by email at pai@public-admin.co.uk.
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Circular No 115/2013: Seminar on Enforcement of Judgment (4 June 2013)
