Lawyer alters claim in suit challenging Bar EGM
Members of the Bar Council speak during a press conference on the Bersih 3.0 rally, in Kuala Lumpur, May 1, 2012. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — The High Court here today allowed lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz to amend his statement of claim in a suit against the Malaysian Bar and Bar Council in relation to its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
Judge Datuk John Louis O’Hara allowed the amendment in chambers, with Tan Sri Dr Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman and Shaharudin Ali appearing for Mohd Khairul Azam and Idza Hajar Ahmad Idzam for the defendants.
Shaharudin later told reporters that one of the issues raised in the claim was to determine the validity of the EGM notice and agenda, which were in English.
“The Bar and Bar Council are public authorities established by Parliament. According to the constitution all such bodies must use Bahasa Melayu in their correspondence,” he said.
Mohd Khairul Azam filed a suit against the two legal bodies seeking to declare the EGM notice dated May 4 as null and not in compliance with the Legal Profession Act 1976.
Among others, he claimed the notice was issued less than seven days from May 11 and that the motion discussed at the EGM contravened the Sedition Act as it pertained to a matter which was beyond the jurisdiction of the defendants.
The EGM passed a motion with 939 votes in favour to 16 votes against demanding an apology from the Inspector-General of Police and Home Ministry for the alleged use of force against demonstrators and reporters during the Bersih 3.0 assembly on April 28.
According to Shaharudin the hearing was fixed for September 25. — Bernama
