Don’t threaten us, Bar Council tells Muslim lawyers

By JENNIFER GOMEZ
November 04, 2013

 

The Malaysian Bar felt it strange that the Muslim Lawyers Association (MLA) has warned them against backing the Catholic weekly, Herald, which was banned from using the word Allah by the Court of Appeal last month.

Bar president Christopher Leong (pic), however, stressed that the Bar was undeterred by the threat, adding that its role was to act for justice and truth without fear or favour.

In a statement issued on Saturday,  MLA president Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar had said that they were opposed to any partisan action by the Bar Council in the appeal by Herald.

He had said that the Bar Council, which is the executive body of the Malaysian Bar, represents the entire Malaysian Bar, comprising of Muslim and non-Muslim members.

"We wish to caution the Bar Council against taking any partisan stand in disregard of the sensitivities of the thousands of Muslim members of the Bar," Zainul Rijal had said.

Zainul Rijal had also said that the MLA wholeheartedly supported the Court of Appeal decision on October 14, and warned that if the Bar backed Herald's appeal against that ruling, it would not hesitate to take further action.

Leong in a statement today, however, questioned what was it that the MLA was afraid of.

"It is strange for an association of lawyers to fear arguments taken in a court of law and to impel them to issue threats. It leaves one to wonder what it is they are afraid of," Leong posed.

The Bar president also called on the authorities to stop legitimising and pandering to the practise of threats, stressing that it would only serve to encourage those who use it as a way to silence others.

"It appears that some parties or segments of our society think it is appropriate to resort to issuing threats or fear-mongering to get their way," he said.

According to Leong, these threats are sometimes accompanied with claims of ignorance, confusion and even allegations that feelings and sensitivities have been hurt.

Leong further noted that the Malaysian Bar did not back any party nor was it partial to any religious belief.

"Any party has the constitutional right to bring their grievances to the courts and to pursue their appeals. The position that we take will always be prescribed by the rule of law and premised on the Federal Constitution," he stressed, noting that the Malaysian Bar and the Bar Council were secular bodies.

"We act for justice and truth and will not be swayed by partisan politics or religious belief.Â

"And we will not be deterred in upholding the cause of justice by any threat or intimidation," he added.

Leong also stressed that it was high time for Malaysians to stop issuing threats, adding that such behaviour only stifled discourse, growth and understanding and ran counter to the principles of moderation that Malaysia wanted to project.

"We would not achieve the Malaysia that our founding fathers and the original Federal Constitution desired, and which all right thinking Malaysians hope for, if we continue to play to the lowest denominator amongst us," he added. - November 4, 2013.