Malaysian Bar EGM dissolved due to lack of quorum
Published on: Sat, Jul 26, 2025
By: Minderjeet Kaur, FMT Text Size: KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar's extraordinary general meeting (EGM) has been dissolved due to a lack of quorum, Bar Council president Ezri Abdul Wahab said. He said 500 members were needed to convene the EGM but only 309 members turned up. 'I am disappointed (that it has been dissolved) because for each EGM we have to spend money,' he said at a press conference at Menara Matrade here this morning. The EGM had been called for on July 1 to debate two key motions concerning judicial independence in the country. One, titled 'Judicial independence', was supposed to be tabled by Ezri. The second, 'Motion to hold the prime minister accountable for having allowed for the undermining of public confidence in the judiciary,' was to have been jointly proposed by lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Surendra Ananth, with support from four others. A third motion, 'Implementing a fair rate of minimum remuneration for pupils', put forward by lawyers Goh Cia Yee and Vince Tan, had garnered widespread support and was seconded by 190 lawyers. Ezri said the young lawyers had been expected to attend, especially for the tabling of the third motion. 'We felt the young lawyers wanted to speak up and that was why we organised the EGM,' he said. Among the lawyers who had turned up for the EGM was former attorney-general Tommy Thomas. Asked if the lack of quorum was due to a lack of trust in the Malaysian Bar, its vice-president Anand Raj said those who attended wanted to hear the debate. 'The majority of members had entrusted us with the motion at the AGM in March. That motion passed, and what has happened in the last few months reflects that,' he said. He was referring to the motion for the Bar to file a legal challenge against the Federal Territories Pardons Board over the decision to halve former prime minister Najib Razak's jail sentence for his SRC International corruption conviction. This is not the first time that the lack of a quorum had led to Bar meetings being called off. In 2023, the Bar's annual general meeting (AGM) was called off when only 276 lawyers turned up. A quorum of 500 was needed for the AGM to proceed. This led to lawyer-activist Siti Kasim lashing out at 'lazy' lawyers, saying that there were 9,000 members in Kuala Lumpur alone. There are 24,000 Bar members in Peninsula Malaysia. - FMT * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
11 minutes ago
- The Star
Bill to make secondary school compulsory tabled in Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: A bill to amend the Education Act and make secondary schooling compulsory has been tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (July 28). The Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 was presented for first reading in Parliament by Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, who said the second and third readings are expected to be completed during the current session. Under the proposed amendments, the bill seeks to revise the definition of 'compulsory education' in the 1996 Education Act to include secondary schooling. It also introduces a new provision - Section 32A - that empowers the education minister to designate secondary education as mandatory for all Malaysian children residing in the country. Parents would be legally required to enrol their children in both primary and secondary institutions unless officially exempted. The bill further stipulates penalties for non-compliance with the new provisions, and authorises the minister to make additional regulations related to enforcement and exemptions. According to Wong, the legislation would also amend provisions related to the registration of children for primary schooling, requiring parents to enrol children by age six as of Jan 1 in any given academic year. If passed, the changes would mark a significant expansion of Malaysia's education mandate, though the bill notes that implementing the new measures will incur additional government expenditure, the exact amount of which has yet to be determined.
Barnama
40 minutes ago
- Barnama
Govt Takes Swift Action To Assist Stranded Umrah Pilgrims – Mohd Na'im
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The government, through the Malaysian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, is taking swift action to ensure the welfare and safety of 42 umrah pilgrims who have been stranded in Jeddah since July 25, including efforts to bring them home, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar. He said that the government takes such cases seriously and will not tolerate those attempting to exploit umrah pilgrims, particularly senior citizens and civil servants, emphasising that strict action, including legal measures, will be taken against them. 'I am deeply concerned and sympathetic over the plight of the 42 Malaysian umrah pilgrims who have reportedly been stranded in Jeddah since July 25 for not having return flight tickets.
The Star
41 minutes ago
- The Star
Balancing screen time and safety: The challenge for today's parents
At what age did you get your first smartphone or sign up for social media? For many adults, it likely happened in their late teens or early twenties, but for kids today, their dive into the digital world often comes much earlier, at times even before they start schooling. Countless concerns have been raised on whether children are being exposed to too much, too soon, and the potentially detrimental long-term effects that may come alongside it. Countries like Australia and France have taken a hardline stance on the matter, with France passing a parental consent law for users under 15, and Australia's under-16 ban is set to be enforced in December. French President Emmanuel Macron has even said that the country would impose a further blanket ban on social media use for those under 15, should progress at the EU level to limit teenage screen time lag behind. Meanwhile, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said back in January this year that the country does not currently have any plans to impose a minimum age requirement when it comes to social media access. He later said in March that any move to impose such a restriction would require a thorough analysis of how it could affect access to information and communication among those impacted, as well as the potential psychological and developmental implications. He also noted that most platforms have set 13 years old as a minimum age requirement, and said that the Malaysian government would monitor their enforcement. According to Siraj, platforms struggle with effectively enforcing age restrictions. — SIRAJ JALIL According to Siraj Jalil, president of the Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA), such monitoring is a step forward, but is still not an airtight solution to the issue. 'Globally, platforms struggle to enforce age restrictions effectively, often relying on self-declaration mechanisms that are easily circumvented. 'Enforcement tends to be weak unless backed by strong regulatory requirements and technology-based age assurance. 'Malaysia should expect platforms to strengthen their verification systems and should complement this with national efforts to raise awareness among parents and children about the importance of respecting these thresholds,' he said. Srividhya Ganapathy, the co-chairperson of the Child Rights Innovation and Betterment (CRIB) Foundation, on the other hand, advocated for a more serious approach, stressing that monitoring alone is not enough. 'In practice, children regularly create accounts long before the age of 13, often without any real safeguards in place. The so-called enforcement of age restrictions is inconsistent and largely symbolic. 'Once online, children face a range of risks – cyberbullying being one of the most prevalent. Many children are targeted in private messages or group chats, with little visibility or intervention from adults. For some, the bullying continues across multiple platforms, and the lack of a clear support or reporting pathway means the harm often goes unnoticed and unaddressed. 'We cannot continue to rely on platforms to police themselves. Vague promises of monitoring aren't enough. We need enforceable standards, better age verification, and a proactive, not reactive, approach to safeguarding children online. Children's safety should not be left to the goodwill of corporations,' she said. Tech too soon? From the perspective of those like Srividhya, haphazardly setting an age requirement is not the end of the story. She believes that while such age requirements may serve as a benchmark, there needs to be an overarching strategy that includes measures to provide age-appropriate education so that kids learn how to engage the digital world via smartphones and social media when the time eventually comes. Srividhya believes that there needs to be an overarching strategy that includes measures to provide age-appropriate education so that kids learn how to engage the digital world via smartphones and social media when the time eventually comes. — Photo by Sanket Mishra on Unsplash 'Outright bans often drive children to access technology in secret, without support or protection. 'Instead, we must equip them with the knowledge and confidence to navigate digital spaces safely and responsibly. A minimum age should be the starting point, not the solution. 'We also need to acknowledge the realities faced by Malaysian families. Smartphones are no longer luxuries; they are everyday tools for communication, education, and payment. 'Many parents – especially those who are divorced or working full-time – rely on phones to stay connected with their children throughout the day, whether during custody transitions, at daycare or tuition, or while their child is commuting alone,' she said. Srividhya called for guidelines on digital competencies for kids and parental roles. — ART CHEN/The Star Siraj similarly added that while such restrictions may, in theory, prevent younger children from creating their accounts, they have little bearing on children with access to smartphones who can circumvent them to consume content on these platforms. 'In reality, many children under 13 actively use platforms like YouTube and TikTok, even if the accounts are registered under parents or older siblings. 'Therefore, while benchmarks are important, the more urgent need is for better education and resources for parents and children to use these technologies responsibly and safely from an early age,' he said. While it's clear that smartphones and social media have a place, parental involvement and guidance are crucial, at least according to Allistair Adam Anak Nelson, a registered clinical psychologist and lecturer at the Taylor's University School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He noted that research has drawn a link between the excessive use of social media and screen time at an early age with higher levels of depression, anxiety, poor sleep, body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. These concerns are only heightened by exposure to things such as cyberbullying, unrealistic body standards, and the constant need for online validation. 'Childhood and early adulthood, roughly from the age of 10 to early 20s, is a time when the brain is still developing, especially in areas related to emotion regulation, self-control, and social awareness. 'This makes young people more vulnerable to the emotional highs and lows of social media. 'Age restrictions merely delay the exposure to age-inappropriate or harmful content, as many children can easily bypass them by entering false birthdates. Allistair Adam said thoughtful consideration is needed to develop healthy screen use. — Taylor's University 'Restrictions alone do not address the need for children to learn how to navigate the digital space safely and responsibly,' he said, further stressing the need for digital literacy. Allistair Adam added that it could come in the form of screen time boundaries set by parents, co-viewing content, open communication on media use, and modelling healthy digital habits. 'Children need more than just the ability to use a device – they must understand privacy, recognise safe content, and distinguish between reality and fantasy.' Meanwhile Raihan Munira Moh Sani, a lecturer with the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation's School of Psychology (APU), said that these technologies should not be seen as being inherently harmful. 'When assessing a child's readiness for a smartphone or social media access, it is essential to look beyond age and consider developmental indicators. 'One important factor is social awareness and empathy, where children should be able to understand the impact of their words and actions on others and demonstrate respectful behaviour in both online and offline peer interactions. 'Equally important is their understanding of boundaries. This includes knowing what is appropriate to share online, recognising the importance of privacy, and being aware of screen time limits. 'These indicators reflect a child's ability to navigate digital spaces responsibly and safely,' she said. Clicking into childhood From Allistair Adam's point of view, there are no hard and fast rules on the 'right' age when it comes to children using things like smartphones, social media, or even engaging in online games. 'Often, smartphones are given to children as a digital pacifier to keep them calm or preoccupied, especially in public settings. 'While this may offer quick relief, developing healthy screen time usage requires more thoughtful consideration,' he said. Raihan Munira advised parents to look beyond age and consider developmental indicators to see if their kids are ready for screen use. — APU There are some guideposts available for parents to have a point of reference. For instance, Allistair Adam said that the World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend screen time at all for kids below two years of age, while those aged between two to four should be limited to just an hour each day. Raihan Munira, on the other hand, said that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 18 months old be kept off screen-based media entirely, except for video chatting. She further said that for children aged 18 to 24 months, any digital content should be limited to high-quality programming viewed together with a parent, while for those aged two to five, screen time should be capped at one hour a day. From age six onwards, parents should set clear, consistent limits on both screen time and content. Vinorra Shaker, the head of the school of psychology at APU, highlighted that Malaysian children are becoming increasingly connected with the digital world, which has turned out to be somewhat of a double-edged sword. She said that while Malaysian children are generally tech-savvy, with competency in navigating apps, social media platforms, and games, this does not necessarily translate to being able to engage digital spaces safely. 'Compared to children in some developed countries like those in Scandinavia or parts of Western Europe, Malaysian kids often have less structured digital education. 'This means they might be more exposed to online risks such as cyberbullying, privacy breaches, or harmful content. A Unicef study even found that while Malaysian youth are confident online, many don't fully understand how to protect themselves from threats. 'The good news is that digital literacy programmes are growing in schools, and awareness among parents and educators is increasing. From age six onwards, parents should set clear, consistent limits on both screen time and content, said Raihan Munira. — Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash 'But there's still a gap to close when it comes to teaching children not just how to use technology, but how to use it responsibly and safely,' she said. As Allistair Adam pointed out, 'studies from states such as Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Kedah show that most preschoolers are already using smartphones and other digital devices regularly'. One of the studies, 'Screen Media Dependency And Its Associated Factors Among Preschool Children In Kuala Lumpur' published in the Malaysian Journal Of Medicine And Health Sciences in May 2023, found that over 65% of preschoolers in Kuala Lumpur show signs of dependence on their devices. Another study, 'Determinants of Excessive Screen Time Among Children Under Five Years Old in Selangor, Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study' published in the International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health in March 2022, found that over 90% of preschoolers in Selangor exceed recommended screen time limits, underscoring a lack in digital maturity among Malaysian children when compared to their peers in countries with structured digital literacy programmes. 'This gap between access and readiness increases their vulnerability to digital dependency, cyberbullying, and misinformation. 'It highlights the need for nationwide digital literacy initiatives and child-focused online safety policies,' he said. Greater guidance Srividhya further called for concrete guidelines from the government that are 'clear, practical, and grounded in the realities of Malaysian families, not just borrowed from other jurisdictions or imposed in a top-down way'. 'There's too much uncertainty. Parents, schools, and even platforms are often left to interpret things for themselves, which leads to inconsistent decisions and, ultimately, children falling through the cracks.' She said that the country does not necessarily need new blanket laws, but rather a framework that provides guidance in the form of minimum standards that also offers some flexibility. This could come in the form of general suggestions for platforms based on age, and the specific kinds of digital competencies children need to access them, along with the responsibilities held by parents, educators, and platforms, she added. 'It's not just about when a child can go online – it's about how they should be supported when they do. 'Right now, our response to children's digital access tends to be reactive. A case goes viral, there's public outcry, and we start talking about bans or surveillance. 'But these approaches don't address the core issue: most children are getting online anyway – often unsupervised and unprepared. 'Without national guidelines that put child rights and child realities at the centre, we're just leaving families to figure it out on their own,' Srividhya said. For Allistair Adam, it comes down to ensuring that a child is emotionally prepared to engage with the digital world. 'For parents, assessing readiness involves observing whether the child can regulate their emotions, follow rules, manage screen time without being attached, recognise unsafe or inappropriate content, and communicate openly with their parents on their digital use. 'Children should also be able to balance screen time with other important daily activities such as schoolwork, play and family time. 'Policymakers, on the other hand, can support this by ensuring access to early digital literacy education, promoting age-appropriate platform design, and developing national guidelines that safeguard children's digital well-being. 'In the end, readiness is not just whether a child has the skills to manage screen time but whether they have received the right modelling, guidance, and support to use digital tools wisely – that should be the best indicator,' he said.
