1817: More than 1,400 lawyers turned up for an Extraordinary Meeting of the Malaysian Bar in PJ this afternoon. They expressed outrage over the arrests of five of their colleagues who had turned up to defend their clients at the Brickfields Police Station on 7 May.
The lawyers demanded the resignation of the Home Affairs Minister, the IGP, the Brickfields OCPD and the investigating officer.
“The mood at the meeting was one of anger over the arrests and at the same time of pride over the courage displayed by the five lawyers,” said a source present during the meeting.
The EGM amended the resolutions listed below to make them even stronger and then adopted them unanimously. The lawyers also discussed the possibility of holding another march for justice.
1504: The Malaysian Bar is proceeding with its Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss the recent arrests of lawyers. The event, scheduled to begin at 3.00pm, has achieved its quorum of 500 members. The Civic Hall in PJ can seat around 2,000 people and more lawyers are arriving.
In the motion to be deliberated, the lawyers are expected to resolve that the Malaysian Bar:
1. Strongly condemns and denounces the wrongful arrest, detention and interrogation of the LAC Lawyers.
2. Strongly condemns and denounces the blatant transgression of the rule of law and the constitutional right of every person to counsel and access to justice.
3. Strongly condemns the unnecessary arrest and detention of those exercising their constitutional right to assemble peaceably.
4. Strongly condemns the arbitrary, improper and frequent resort by the police to section 28A(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code, thus denying an arrested person access to counsel and making the right provided under section 28A(3) meaningless.
5. Strongly condemns and denounces the appalling treatment of the LAC lawyers and all those held in custody, including compelling them to wear lock up uniforms and unnecessarily handcuffing them.
6. Strongly condemns and denounces the Police for deliberately refusing to disclose to their family or their lawyers any information in relation to the LAC lawyers after their arrest, including their location and their next course of action.
7. Calls upon the Inspector-General of Police to take immediate disciplinary action against the police officers responsible for the unlawful arrest of the LAC Lawyers and in particular, the OCPD of the Brickfields police station for this shameful incident.
8. Calls upon the Inspector-General of Police to take full responsibility for, and to explain, this gross abuse of police power.
9. Calls upon the Government to be committed to and to uphold the Rule of Law as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
10. Reiterates its previous calls on the Government to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) in its original form to serve as an independent external oversight mechanism.
11. Calls on the Government of Malaysia to uphold and defend the fundamental rights of advocates and solicitors to discharge their responsibilities to their clients in an environment free from threats and intimidation and unhindered by law enforcement agencies.
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Now I know why Malaysia is so screwed up. It’s because the government can’t take criticism well and respond by locking people up.
This showed that the police lack of professionalism. In the beginning, watching the video angered me but then again this only showed that the type of ignorant and abusive police that BN hired. I think it’s time for us as Malaysian to vote for Pakatan again and again until BN truly fix our police force.
Hehehe! This fella ngtiewley has a point. And I guess he is one angry man (to choose a nick like this). Yeah, anyone here remember the case of the poor aircond technician who was battered to death over the Maybank Safe Deposit Box break-in many years ago. In the end it was found that the poor fellow was indeed innocent, just too bad he was maintaining the aircond on that day. So where were the lawyers then? Where was the Bar Council? When the poor reporter was ISAed for her safety, I don’t remember Ambiga calling for the IGP to… Read more »
Musa Hassan ” I am the law! “
Nothing we can do now…wait for next GE…we will give them K.O
I hope this call for the resignation of the persons concerned will persist to the end.
Bar Council, Where have you all been the last 20 yrs or so?? There were so much abuse of police powers then but the Bar Council never opened their ‘sealed’ mouth. Many others before Kugan’s case had happened but no ‘voice’ were heard coming from your mouth.Oh…mayby you all too busy ‘earning a good-living’ to care about those poor people being trodden by the ‘powers-that-be’.NOW, just because some of your brother lawyers were put into the lock-up… wa..so much of hue and cry, calling for everybodys’ blood.Some of your member lawyers also needs to be disciplined and hold strong to… Read more »
Barcouncil has 20000 members and only 1400 show up?
Pathetic.
only 200 the day after 5 lawyers were arrested.
Malaysian Constitution violated severely and only such a small number bother to show up.
Malaysian lawyers are all about the money. nothing else.
There are over 13,000 lawyers spread across Malaysia, out of which about 8,500 are in KL and Selangor. – Anil
Haiya!!!! So stupid ah!!!! No Datukship lah!!!!
‘strongly condemn’
so what is next?
How come the police never shout tangkap tangkap to the mat rempits and snatch thieves? Easy to target the less violent people than the crazy people on motorbikes….
yeah! This is so call One Malaysia concept. The true interpretation is One Malaysia Under N…
The police are paid g…. in uniform. They are brave to shout and yell as they have a big contingent to back them and they have all the ammunition and weapons to threaten the rakyat….
Wonder why the deafening silence from all those retired judges-arent they sworn to uphold justice at all times?Say a word of fairness pls and gain some respect from the people.Dont you guys care?Those young lawyers’ efforts must not be in vain.
In my opinion, Bar Council together with other NGOs should organise a gathering and to send the memorandum about the above to DYMM Yang Di Pertuan Agong and PM!
What is the Bar Council doing to stop the ‘butchering’ of the law and the constitution to suit the political lusts of some people? Soon the country will be without decorum when it comes to the constitutional rights of the people. Soon democracy will come to naught if laws can be manipulated to suit the whims of some power seeking politicians.
This is it. The Bar council should… go on strike, all 12,500 of them till the OCPD of brickfields is suspended.
Enough is enough?
I am amazed by some of the comments above. First of all, the arrest of lawyers is a separate issue with the current crisis going on in Perak. The Malaysian Bar has already taken a stand that no matter what the legal outcome, BN should go back to the people for a mandate. The Bar has also taken a stand that some judges have misinterpreted the law. I’d suggest commentators to read up before passing casual comments of this nature. Secondly, with respect to the arrest of lawyers, the issue is what the Malaysian Bar can do most. Lawyers do… Read more »
Wow …tangkap….tangkap …tangkap …you’re gathering without permit….salah berhimpun tanpa permit…wah kalau kami mohon permit pun polis tak kan bagi sebab kami dari pembangkang.Itu lah yang (sering) di praktik kan oleh pihak polis? Kalau bn yang berhimpun , tak payah lah mohon permit , tutup mata dan telinga… pikirlah sejenak, kalau pembangkang yang memerintah negara kelak, saya harap all the polis top brass be terminated or demoted because of their undemocratic actions.
Tengok perangai polis2 tu betul-betul macam s……… Dia tidak tahu bezakan antara orang yang mahu berurusan dengan polis atau perhimpunan haram.
We have … policing our country, anger freak who does his duty based on ‘angin’ kepala, who does not differentiate between legal recourse for ciyizens and perhimpunan! Such is an example of how our beloved country is run by ….! Is Malaysia going down the road of Polis State?
To all the naysayers out there, at least the Bar council has the courage to make a stand.
Imagine the embarassment to the Government!
Let’s salute their courage.
Have to say that the charming guy in that appropriately captioned PRDM-blue t-shirt is a reassuring and professional sight to behold. So very chic that.
Why doesn’t someone tell him with respect the secret of how to formally give orders with authoritative respect without having to….er….shout like an unruly delinquent hooligan in a school playground.
Perhaps the Malaysian Bar today deserves some rounds….er….of drinks that is. But try harder for respect. Smile.
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon
The whole police contigent are …. Its about time we change them.Vote for PR
Today court of appeal exposes itself fully naked to the whole world. when ppl investing in millions can they trust this sort of juditiary system?????? God save our country from all these cruel happenings