Corrected at 3.40pm on 11 Dec 2009 THE Malaysian Bar is disappointed with the Court of Appeal‘s ruling on 17 Dec 2009 that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can question witnesses beyond office hours. The decision, which overturns the High Court‘s earlier ruling, is inimical to the protection of witnesses, who have the right to refuse […]
Ragunath Kesavan
Nazri’s remarks over Lingam case “irresponsible”
By Ding Jo-AnnPETALING JAYA, 18 Nov 2009: Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz‘s challenge to Karpal Singh to prosecute VK Lingam himself has come under fire by senior lawyers who have described his remarks as irresponsible. Former Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh said the remark by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was “not responsible” because […]
Hishammuddin has trivialised issue
By Ragunath KesavanTHE Malaysian Bar is disappointed with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein‘s response to the demonstration outside the Selangor secretariat building on 28 Aug 2009. By not denouncing the offensive actions of some of the demonstrators and instead accepting their weak explanation, he has trivialised the seriousness of the incident. It is also disquieting that […]
Children’s rights violated
By Ragunath KesavanTHE Malaysian Bar denounces the government’s overzealous and abusive show of power in its apparent determination to crush the people’s exercise of its right to the twin freedoms of assembly and expression during the rallies in Kuala Lumpur on 1 Aug 2009. According to media and eyewitness accounts, police used excessive and disproportionate physical force, […]
Judgment improves criminal justice system
By Ragunath KesavanTHE Malaysian Bar welcomes the judgment of Yang Arif Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah that was handed down in the case of Prosecutor v Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, wherein Yang Arif ordered the prosecution to furnish the defence team, prior to the commencement of a trial, with all documents that are relevant and necessary for […]
State intervention needed for domestic workers
By Ragunath KesavanTHE Bar Council commends the Ministry of Human Resources for proposing that domestic workers be given a rest day and for suggesting that all domestic workers have a standard employment contract. Despite adverse reaction from some individuals, we must proceed to do what is right and uphold human dignity regardless of nationality or class of […]
Nazri promises to ensure rule of law
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 23 June 2009: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has promised to look into the Bar Council’s complaints about the arrest of five lawyers in May who tried to represent their clients at the Brickfields police station. “I have accepted this memo, and [the complaints] are in my jurisdiction, I […]
Reclaiming the race debate
By Deborah LohTHE national unity debate is an unresolved one, but one that Malaysians must not tire of if they are to prevent race relations from being hijacked for political ends. Recently, Malaysians showed they haven’t given up. Over 400 people attended a public forum on race relations by British anti-racism activist Dr Aneez Esmail on 16 […]
Chua Soi Lek cautions against day off for maids
By Gan Pei LingPETALING JAYA, 18 June 2009: While civil societies welcomed the government’s decision to provide a mandatory off-day for domestic workers, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has called on the government to review its plan. The Bar Council and regional network Caram Asia today even urged the government to go a step […]
Criminal justice system is the foundation of social order
By Ragunath KesavanIT is very clear, from the comments reported in the press in recent days, that the minister for home affairs, the inspector-general of police and the minister in the prime minister’s department, among others, have wholly misconstrued the position of the Malaysian Bar in respect of the arrests of Fadiah Nadwa Fikri (secretary), Murnie Hidayah […]
