THE Bar Council is perturbed that an article in the New Straits Times on April 20 by columnist Zainul Arifin has received a chorus of condemnation led by the Leader of the Opposition and joined by a few BN Members of Parliament. A proposal was even made to refer Zainul to the Committee of Privileges, for having allegedly humiliated Members of Parliament.
This would be taking many steps backward, in the arduous but crucial journey that Malaysian society has embarked upon to protect, promote and enhance the freedom of speech and freedom of the Press. These are retrogressive steps that we must not take.
Freedom of the Press encompasses the freedom of speech as well as the freedom of information. Freedom of speech is the heart of any democratic society. It is the bedrock upon which a truly free and progressive society is founded. This freedom must be constantly nurtured, protected and rejuvenated.
No doubt, in a free environment, sometimes things are said or written that may embarrass or hurt a person or a body of persons. At times the comments or criticisms may be overboard or unjustified. However, even if so (and we are speaking here generally and certainly not with reference to Zainul's article), the right way to deal with such situations is never to curb or bludgeon the freedom by going after the speaker or writer; but rather to provide ample and equal opportunities for the airing of a response or rebuttal to the criticism.
It must always be remembered that, in a free society, a proper response is one that uses the force of argument, and not the argument of force. This particularly applies to those wielding power or holding public office, who are expected to be much more open to criticisms.
Malaysia must move forward on the road to greater freedom, and not backward.
2012 Bar Council Subscription Click the link above to download Circular 072/2012 pertaining to the 2012 Bar Council subscription, including the payment guide and a set of Frequently-Asked-Questions.
2012 Hotel Corporate Rates Attending seminars? Going for a holiday? Click on the link above to check out the list of hotel corporate rates for Members of the Bar, which is updated regularly.
Bar Council Bookshop Read MORE … but pay LE$$! Members enjoy a 20% discount on LexisNexis publications at the Bar Council Bookshop. Click on the link above for the list of available titles.
International Malaysia Law Conference (26 to 28 Sept 2012) Hurry up! The countdown continues and the current promotion rate ends 30 June 2012. Don't miss what is going to be the best conference in the region! On top of that, if you sign up with 5 or more people from the same organisation, we will give you a 10% group discount. Click on the link above to register.
Talk on Summary Judgement (25 May 2012) Organised by the Selangor Bar Committee, this talk will take place at 5:00 pm, at the Selangor Bar Committee Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). The talk will be conducted by Ramesh Supramanian. Click on the link above for more details.
Seminar on Tax Issues in Financial Transactions (25 May 2012) Organised by the Kuala Lumpur Bar Professional Development Committee, this seminar, featuring S Saravana Kumar, will take place at 3:00 pm, at the Kuala Lumpur Bar Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). Click on the link above for more details.
Dialogue with Criminal Law Practitioners (26 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council, this dialogue will take place at 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, at the Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium, Bar Council, on 26 May 2012 (Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
Conference on Competition Law (31 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council with the support of LexisNexis, this conference will take place at 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, at Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, on 31 May 2012 (Thursday). For more details or to register, please contact Vilashini Vijayan (03-2050 2095; vila@malaysianbar.org.my). Click on the link above for more details.
Talk on What Clients Want (7 June 2012) Organised by the KL Bar Practitioners' Affairs Committee, the talk, presented by Ong Eu Jin, will take place at 5:00 pm, at the KL Bar Auditorium, on 7 June 2012 (Thursday). Click on the link above for more details.
4th LAWASIA Family Law Conference, Penang (13 and 14 July 2012) Supported by Penang Bar Committee and the Malaysian Bar, this conference, themed “The New Global Family: Emerging Trends and Challenges to Family Practice”, will take place at Traders Hotel, Penang, on 13 and 14 July 2012 (Friday and Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
News/Notices 
THE Bar Council is perturbed that an article in the New Straits Times on April 20 by columnist Zainul Arifin has received a chorus of condemnation led by the Leader of the Opposition and joined by a few BN Members of Parliament. A proposal was even made to refer Zainul to the Committee of Privileges, for having allegedly humiliated Members of Parliament.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Circular No 109/2012: Be a Part of the Bar Council Constitutional Law Committee
