Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

It is certainly a new dawn in Malaysian politics. A minister speaking his mind and not merely parroting instructions. I certainly want more such intelligent and responsible leaders.

If only all politicians could be as principled as Datuk Zaid .....

Kanesh a/l Sundrum

I hope the Malaysian Bar would demonstrate the same passion about the welfare of its members as it is with contemporary politics. Notwithstanding Sect 42 of the LPA, as a professional body attention should primarily be focussed on the welfare of its members. Currently practising members are facing a gamut of challenges not the least of which includes diminishing fees, subjugation by corporate clients arising from our own disunity etc.

What is the Bar doing about these issues? Every young rookie wants to 'set up shop' despite not even knowing how to attire themselves (COA has commented on this I believe).

So Datuk Presiden, mungkin kita harus meniliti halatuju kita dan juga janganlah kita terlampau terbawa bawa dengan isu politik sahaja. Sejak akhir akhir ini tidak silap jika umumnya terdapat tanggapan bahawa Bar Malaysia lebih mirip sebagai satu parti politik daripada badan profesyional.

Kudos to Datuk Zaid and his principles but please Datuk President we need to feed the lawyers and we need you and your council members to do more for us.

Dato’ Shahrir Abdul Jalil

Mahatma Ghandi once said: "There are seven social sins: politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice."

I have to admit with great shame that Malaysian politic is becoming the laughing-stock of other country. Lets face it. Singapore is a small island with no natural resource but their country is far more developed because their politic is not tainted with corruption. Enough said.

Mohd Yazid Bin Zul Kepli

I guess the rest of the Ministers and MPs who shouted against these injustices would not have the guts nor balls to do the same.

Lets hear it from them!

Datuk Zaid, I am proud of you!

Siti Zabedah Kasim

If I am right, this is the first time in the 50-year-old political history of Malaysia when a Minister has consciously chosen to resign from the Cabinet on principle.

Zaid's principled position deserves respect and must be respected by all.

The late Aziz Ishak, with whom I used to play gin rummy in my salad days in the Old Xaverian Associations eons ago, also left the Cabinet. But was it on a matter of principle?

Aziz Ishak was later incarcerated under the ISA as well. He authored a book called "Special Guest" that I bought years ago.

Can someone please enlighten us on Aziz Ishak?

Stephen Tan Ban Cheng

Dear Dato’

Mana halatuju komen Dato di atas?

I cannot see what is so wrong for our President to congratulate Dato Zaid Ibrahim, a member of the Bar for the stand that he has taken against the utilization of the draconian ISA. And yes, this is the same ISA that the Bar and its members have been screaming hoarse against for as long as I can remember. This is the same ISA that is used to unilaterally and without recourse take away the liberty of a citizen. It can happen to anyone of us, even you.

Whilst the welfare of the members of the Bar is important, there are times when our interests as lawyers will have to take a back seat for the greater good. We cannot only care for our rice bowls all the time when we are entrusted to uphold the cause of justice without fear or favour. The sickening and disgusting racial and religious polemics by the ruling government cannot be ignored by the Bar. A stand has to be taken and I am happy to note that the Bar has done so. We are striving for an open and mature civil society that takes on difficult issues by the horn in a civil and intellectual manner, not a society that sweeps all its problems under the carpet and hold hands and sing the theme song to the Malaysia Truly Asia adverts. The Bar whilst being A-political is obliged to act as the guardian of the rule of law in Malaysia.

I am touched that you are very concerned about the plight of lawyers in the Bar. I am sure as the managing partner of one of the largest firms in Malaysia, you have the means both financially and in terms of time, to contribute more for the Bar to safeguard our welfare. I am sure with your status, standing for elections and getting voted in would not be much of a problem.

In any event, I trust that there will be a strong showing in terms of head count from your firm for the EGM this Saturday.

Finally Dato, bukan tak boleh komen dan mengkritik, tetapi di dalam menuduh Majlis Peguam berlagak sebagai parti politik, komen Dato’ sendiri berbau politik. Bak kata pepatah, mengata dulang paku serpih, mengata orang dia pulak yang lebih.

Shaikh Abdul Saleem

Dato' Shahrir is a very fluent writer both in Malay and English. But I cannot make out what exactly he is complaining about. As a member of the Bar Council, I, together with my colleagues in the Council, seek to serve the Bar.

But we must get feed-back as to what needs fixing. If corporate clients are bullying you tell us that and, maybe, come up with solutions to the problem. If you think there is disunity at the Bar then tell us. Or, as Shaikh Abdul Saleem suggests, join one of the Committees of the Council such as the Legal Profession Committee if you feel you cannot afford to sacrifice the time to run for election and serve as a Bar Council member.

The Council can only function if it has dedicated and able staff. It is difficult to retain dedicated staff if you do not pay them well. It is difficult to pay staff well and provide other services if the general body expects the Council to run on a shoe-string budget. Dato' Shahrir you run a large firm. You know how important finance is to run a large organisation. Help us raise money then.

But, one thing I am adamant about: so long as I am in active practice, Insha'Allah, I shall always make sure that the Bar fulfils its paramount function of upholding the cause of Justice without fear or favour and without regard to its own interests or that of its members. That is what distinguishes us from a mere trade association. We are a professional body ever-vigilant in the public interest.

I am fully in support of our President in her statement and in her unrelenting efforts at providing superb leadership to the Bar undeterred by threats, Molotov cocktails, Mahathirite snide criticisms of politicising the Bar, and a savage trimming of our Budget.

Yes, Zaid was a breath of fresh air and promise of a new Malaysia. It is only right and decent that the Bar expresses its regret that such a Minister could no longer function.

Haji Sulaiman Abdullah