Undeterred by sedition probe, lawyers vow to fight on
By Mayuri Mei Lin Thursday March 31, 201605:20 PM GMT+8
UPDATED:
March 31, 2016
07:53 PM GMT+8
March 31, 2016
07:53 PM GMT+8
Charles
Hector (centre), R. Shanmugam (left) and Francis Pereira arriving at
Bukit Aman to give their statements regarding a sedition investigation
in Kuala Lumpur, March 31, 2016. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa KUALA LUMPUR,March 31 — The three lawyers under investigation for sedition over their motion calling for the Attorney-General’s resignation said today the possibility of facing charges for their action would not stop them from carrying out their duties.
Lawyer Charles Hector Fernandez said that as lawyers, it is their
obligation to uphold the rule of law, even in the face of alleged
intimidation by the authorities.
“We are still committed to upholding the course of justice, no amount
of harassment or intimidation will stop us because ultimately, our
position is that as lawyer and a member of the Bar, we have a right and
also a duty, and an obligation, to uphold the course of justice and
bring about reforms to the course of justice.
“It’s not just the obligation of lawyers but of each Malaysian to
improve things,” he said outside the Bukit Aman police headquarters
after he and his two colleagues gave their statements for the sedition
investigation.
Lawyer R. Shanmugam added that the trio did no wrong in calling for AG
Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali’s resignation as anyone holding public office
has a right to be scrutinised by the public.
“No public officer is so infallible that he cannot be questioned. We as
lawyers have a right to scrutinise the conduct of any public officer,”
he said.
Lawyer Francis Pereira pointed out they were merely carrying out their
statutory rights as lawyers, adding that the Malaysian Bar annual
general meeting (AGM) where the motion was proposed was held behind
closed doors.
“To the extent of law, we want to emphasise that it was a closed-door
meeting and the act of calling and asking what happened is bad and
unnecessary.
“Irrespective of whatever the police report said in regards to the
motion, this is quite uncalled for certainly the Bar isn’t intimidated
and we’ll carry on,” he said.
Former Malaysian Bar president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who was also
present, claimed the “unprecedented” investigation suggested panic
within Putrajaya, and that such action was unnecessary if the people in
power did not do anything that merited criticism.
She added that the authorities were disrespecting the statutory rights
of the Malaysian Bar by pursuing a sedition investigation over a motion
made behind closed doors.
“They think they can barge into our territory and tell us what to do. It’s our home in a sense,” she said.
Malaysian Bar vice-president George Varughese was confident, however,
that the police will find no cause to charge the three lawyers after
their questioning today.
But Ambiga insisted that the authorities’ move to investigate members
of the Bar over the motion was an act of intimidation with a knock-on
effect on others.
“For me even the questioning is wrong because it is an attempt at
intimidating other organisations like human rights organisations; they
might think twice because action can be taken,” she said.
About 20 lawyers and activists gathered outside the federal police
headquarters today in solidarity with the trio, with some holding up
signs that read “#RespectMyAGM,” punning the #RespectmyPM hashtag from
several weeks ago.
Others present included Bersih 2.0 chief Maria Chin Abdullah, PKR’s N.
Surendran, DAP’s Gobind Singh Deo, civil liberties lawyer Syahredzan
Johan and Lawyers for Liberties’ Eric Paulsen.
The contentious motion at the Malaysian Bar’s AGM called on Apandi to
resign as AG over his decisions in cases involving state investment firm
1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), former 1MDB unit SRC International,
and the transfer of RM2.6 billion into the prime minister’s personal
accounts.
Apandi told a press conference on January 26 that he found that Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not commit any criminal offence in
the cases of SRC International and the RM2.6 billion transfer, which he
said was a donation from the Saudi royalty. - Malay Mail, 31/3/2016
- See more at:
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/undeterred-by-sedition-probe-lawyers-vow-to-fight-on#sthash.CebLEaRZ.dpuf
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