Malaysian Bar to hold EGM over recent allegation of judicial intimidation

5 May 2022

By Farah Salim

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar will hold an emergency general meeting (EGM) to discuss affairs regarding the recent alleged intimidation of the judiciary.

Its president Karen Cheah stated that the required statutory notice for the EGM will be issued to all members of the Bar by today.

“We hope to see the attendance of members of the Bar across the nation including our past presidents, to express their thoughts on this issue.

“The upcoming EGM will discuss the possible options available to the Malaysian Bar, as well as to ventilate and debate on motions tabled by the Bar Council, as well as any other motions which we may receive seven days prior to the EGM by members of the Bar,” she said.

Meanwhile, Cheah also stated that she is aware of the petition calling for the "Walk for Justice"

The petition ‘Walk for Justice”, which was launched by several former Malaysian Bar presidents, including Mah Weng Kwai and Ambiga Sreenevasan, urging the Bar Council to hold the walk-in solidarity against apparent intimidation of the judiciary

The petition was posted in a Google Docs format, and it was disseminated among the legal fraternity where official members of the Malaysian Bar can leave their full name and Bar Council membership number as sign of support.

It came following the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigations into Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

"As a matter of record, the Bar Council has been putting in all its efforts to discuss the matter, even prior to such a petition," she asserted.

She added that the Bar Council held an emergency meeting at the end of last month to discuss allegations of judicial intimidation.