©The Star (Used by permission)
by SIRA HABIBU
KUALA LUMPUR: Amidst grouses over lack of transparency in the Bar Council election, lawyer Hendon Mohamed emerged the top winner for the 2015/2016 term.
Hendon has emerged the top winner for nine consecutive terms.
Sulaiman Abdullah, who was one of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s counsel, clinched the second spot (1,788) followed by Brendan Navin Siva (1,638).
The election saw 23 candidates contesting the 12 posts in the Bar Council.
Other winners include Andrew Khoo (1,609), Richard Wee (1,519), Honey Tan (1,470), George Varughese (1,445), Syahredzan Johan (1,429), Ravi Nekoo (1,392), Datuk Low Beng Choo (1,388), Datuk Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari (1,362), and Roger Chan (1,346).
The results were posted on the Bar Council’s website.
Lawyer M. Reza Hassan, one of the candidates who contested and lost, was denied entry into the hall to watch live streaming of the vote tallying process.
Reza had refused to sign a letter of undertaking prepared by the Bar Council, barring observers from taking photographs, recording or transmitting images of the vote counting process.
“It is not required by law to sign such an undertaking. That is why I refused to sign the document.
"I promised that I would not take any photograph, but they immediately switched off the live streaming, forcing me to leave the hall,” he alleged on Tuesday.
An observer claimed that the camera focused only on one group involved in the vote counting process.
“There were a few groups counting the ballot papers. But the camera zoomed only on one group.
“We barely saw 200 ballot papers via live streaming. There is certainly no transparency as we could not see the rest,” said an observer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, a former Bar Council president, also questioned the electoral process. “What is there to hide?” he asked.
Malaysian Bar president Christopher Leong could not be reached for comments.
Lawyer Faidhur Rahman Abdul Hadi said there was nothing in the Legal Profession Act 1976 or any other law that restrict the observation process to candidates or members or requires candidates to sign undertaking letters.
“The Bar Council's continued lack of transparency in this regard makes a mockery of its own call for free and fair elections.
"The Bar Council has no credibility left and is in serious need of reform,” said Faidhur, who did not contest in the election.
Fellow lawyer Datuk Abu Bakar As–Sidek Mohd Sidek said the Bar Council had failed in its duties to hold a transparent electoral process.
“Perhaps we should ask the Election Commission to help conduct the Bar Council election," he said.