Latest news with #MalaysianBar
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Malaysian Bar EGM dissolved over lack of quorum
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar's extraordinary general meeting (EGM), which was expected to address key issues on judicial independence, was dissolved after it failed to meet the required quorum, reports said. According to Free Malaysia Today, Bar Council president Ezri Abdul Wahab told reporters that only 309 members were present at the meeting held at Menara Matrade, well short of the 500 members required for the EGM to proceed. "I am disappointed (that it has been dissolved) because for each EGM we have to spend money," he was quoted as saying in the report. The EGM had been scheduled after calls emerged on July 1 to debate three motions. Two of them were focused on safeguarding judicial independence, while the third sought to push for a fairer minimum pay scale for chambering pupils. Ezri was set to table the motion titled "Judicial Independence". Another motion, aimed at holding the prime minister accountable for what was perceived as a blow to public confidence in the judiciary, had been jointly proposed by lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Surendra Ananth, and backed by four others. A separate motion advocating for fairer pupil remuneration, put forward by lawyers Goh Cia Yee and Vince Tan, had received notable support from within the legal fraternity, with 190 lawyers seconding it. "We felt the young lawyers wanted to speak up and that was why we organised the EGM," Ezri added, expressing hope that more junior members would have shown up. Former attorney-general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas was among those who attended the meeting. Responding to a question on whether the poor turnout reflected declining confidence in the Malaysian Bar, its vice-president Anand Raj said, "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 was referring to the earlier decision by the Bar to mount a legal challenge against the Federal Territories Pardons Board over the reduced prison sentence for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the SRC International case. This is not the first time a Malaysian Bar meeting has had to be called off due to a failure to meet quorum requirements.
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Lawyers to debate two resolutions on judiciary at Bar EGM
The quorum for the EGM, to be held at Matrade Hall, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah at 10am on Saturday, is set at 500 members. KUALA LUMPUR : The Malaysian Bar will convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) this Saturday to debate two key motions concerning judicial independence in the country. One, titled 'Judicial Independence', will be tabled by Bar Council chairman Ezri Abdul Wahab. The second, 'Motion to hold the prime minister accountable for having allowed for the undermining of public confidence in the judiciary,' will be 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 — has garnered widespread support, seconded by 190 lawyers. Bar secretary Murshidah Mustafa circulated the motions to more than 24,000 lawyers practicing in Peninsular Malaysia. The quorum for the EGM, to be held at Matrade Hall, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah at 10am, is set at 500 members. This meeting follows significant developments in recent months. On March 15, the Bar unanimously passed two amended resolutions reaffirming its stance against any interference in the judiciary by the executive, legislature, or other unauthorised individuals. On July 1, Ezri called for the EGM, amid concerns over the lack of clarity surrounding the retirement of chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who was set to reach the mandatory retirement age of 66. On July 14, a large group of lawyers gathered outside the Palace of Justice for a march in defence of the judiciary's integrity. Ezri then submitted a memorandum to Zamri Misman, the legal affairs department's director-general, who received it on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office. The memorandum called for the appointment of judicial leaders with demonstrable integrity and a track record of quality judgments, and for judicial vacancies to be filled swiftly to prevent delays in case hearings. Last Friday, the Chief Registrar's office announced that Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, 62, will be appointed Malaysia's new chief justice, succeeding Tengku Maimun. The announcement also said that Justice Abu Bakar Jais, 63, will head the Court of Appeal, while Justice Azizah Nawawi, 63, is set to become Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. The statement added that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had, based on the prime minister's advice and after consulting the Conference of Rulers, consented to the appointments, in accordance with Article 122B of the Federal Constitution. All three judges will be sworn in and presented with their letters of appointment at Istana Negara on July 28.
The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Bar Council EGM on judicial independence dissolves due to lack of quorum
The Malaysian Bar's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was cancelled after failing to meet its 500-member quorum, as announced by President Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, July 26, 2025. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star The Malaysian Bar's extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to debate two motions on judicial independence could not proceed after failing to gather a quorum of 500 lawyers on Saturday (July 26). Bar Council chairman Ezri Abdul Wahab said only 309 of the 24,000 members in the Peninsula attended, leading to the EGM's dissolution. "We are disappointed as every EGM requires financial resources, and we aimed to address urgent issues on judicial independence," said Ezri. This is not the first time a Bar Council EGM has dissolved due to a lack of quorum. Ezri said the Bar Council will use a resolution from the previous AGM in May, allowing the leadership to defend the judiciary. "We will use the resolution to proceed with necessary actions. I cannot explain why members did not attend. We hoped younger lawyers would support the motion on remuneration for pupils, but that was not the case," he added. Ezri believes many issues have been resolved, and members' aspirations have been addressed by the Bar Council. Bar Council Vice President Anand Raj said the quorum failure does not imply a lack of trust in the leadership. "It indicates our actions thus far have been sufficient and align with members' expectations. Those who attended wanted to contribute, but the majority have entrusted us with a broad mandate," said Anand. He noted that 1,600 lawyers participated in a recent walk for an independent judiciary on July 14. Former Attorney General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas and activist Siti Kasim were present at the event. Lawyer Vince Tan expressed frustration by saying that "500 of 24,000 lawyers could not turn up!" The first motion, titled "Judicial Independence", was to be mooted by chairman Ezri. The second motion, "Hold the prime minister accountable for undermining public confidence in the judiciary", was to be proposed by lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Surendra Ananth. A third motion, "Implementing a Fair Rate of Minimum Remuneration for Pupils", was by Goh Cia Yee and Vince Tan. On March 15, the Bar unanimously passed two amended resolutions reaffirming its stance against interference in the judiciary by the executive, legislature, or other unauthorised individuals. The EGM was called on July 1 amid concerns over the retirement of Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who was set to reach the mandatory retirement age of 66. On July 14, a large group of lawyers gathered outside the Palace of Justice to march in defence of the judiciary's integrity. Ezri then submitted a memorandum to Zamri Misman, the legal affairs department's director-general, on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office. The memorandum called for appointing judicial leaders with integrity and a track record of quality judgments and for filling judicial vacancies swiftly to prevent delays in case hearings.
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Human Resources Ministry launches legal aid initiative for industrial court cases
KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — The Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma) has launched a Legal Aid initiative for parties with cases before the Industrial Court of Malaysia. In a statement today, Kesuma said the initiative is a collaboration between the Industrial Court, Malaysian Bar, Sabah Law Society, and the Advocates Association of Sarawak. The measure was officially announced by Human Resources Minister Steven Sim during the Industrial Court appreciation dinner held at a hotel last night. 'In Peninsular Malaysia, eligible parties may obtain this legal assistance through the Bar Council Legal Aid Centre,' the statement read. It stated that the eligibility for the service is based on a Means Test, which takes into account income and financial commitments such as housing loans, monthly rent and cost of living. Kesuma clarified that no legal fees will be charged, and applicants are only required to bear direct expenses such as lawyers' transportation, photocopying and statutory declarations, as the Industrial Court will not impose any filing fee. Applicants must provide proof of residence, salary slips, utility bills and confirmation letters. Monthly household income, after expenses, must not exceed RM1,000 for married couples and RM800 for single applicants. In addition, asset limits apply: total property value must not exceed RM75,000, with specific caps of RM4,500 for motorcycles, RM15,000 for cars and other assets and RM5,000 in savings. 'The management reserves the right to evaluate applications on a case-by-case basis,' the ministry stated. In Sabah and Sarawak, the service is offered through the Sabah Law Society and the Advocates Association of Sarawak, respectively, subject to their eligibility criteria. 'This initiative reflects the Industrial Court's ongoing commitment to ensuring greater, more inclusive access to justice, particularly for workers and employers in need,' Kesuma said. — Bernama
New Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Bar Council convenes EGM to debate judiciary resolutions
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar will convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) this Saturday to debate two key motions concerning judicial independence and the undermining of public confidence in the legal system. Bar Council chairman Ezri Abdul Wahab will table the "Motion for Judicial Independence." Prominent rights lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Surendra Ananth will jointly propose a motion to hold the Prime Minister accountable for allowing the undermining of public confidence in the judiciary. A third motion, titled "Implementing a Fair Rate of Minimum Remuneration for Pupils," has been put forward by lawyers Goh Cia Yee and Vince Tan. Meanwhile, former Bar Council member Salim Bashir told the New Straits Times: "Judicial independence is a cornerstone of every democratic nation," stressing the importance of the gathering. He added, "The upcoming extraordinary general meeting (EGM) reflects the Bar's commitment to protecting the rule of law and preventing any erosion of judicial independence." Salim said the meeting "is a critical call for the government to uphold constitutional governance and the separation of powers, and to take necessary steps to restore public confidence in the judiciary." "I hope many members will turn up at the EGM, as their participations are crucial," he added. The Malaysian Bar has around 24,000 members, and at least 500 must attend the meeting to meet the quorum requirement. Bar secretary Murshidah Mustafa has circulated the motions to members ahead of the extraordinary general meeting (EGM), which will be held at 10am at Matrade Hall, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. The meeting comes in the wake of major developments within the judiciary. On July 14, a group of lawyers marched outside the Palace of Justice to defend the judiciary's integrity. The Bar Council submitted a memorandum to the government. The memorandum urged the appointment of judicial leaders with proven integrity and a track record of sound judgments. It also called for judicial vacancies to be filled promptly to prevent delays in court proceedings. Last Friday, the Chief Registrar's Office confirmed the appointments of three top judicial figures, ending days of speculation over the leadership reshuffle within the country's judiciary. According to the statement, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, consented to the appointment of Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the new Chief Justice of Malaysia, in accordance with Article 122B(1) of the Federal Constitution. Datuk Abu Bakar Jais has been named as President of the Court of Appeal, while Datuk Azizah Nawawi has been appointed Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. All three judges will be sworn in and receive their letters of appointment at Istana Negara on July 28.
