THE Malaysian Bar has called on the government to release the Institutional Reform Committee’s (IRC) final report so that it can be held accountable for its promises.

At its annual general meeting today, it also called on the government to act on institutional reforms in the judiciary, Parliament, Election Commission, Attorney-General’s Office, police force and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

“The resolution was among five passed at the 73rd Malaysian Bar AGM today,” said newly elected president Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor.

The second resolution called on the government to abolish eight statutes deemed “draconian legislature”.

The eight are the Sedition Act, Prevention of Crime Act, Universities and University Colleges Act, Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act, Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, Prevention of Terrorism Act and National Security Council Act.

The last three were passed between 2012 and 2015 by the previous Barisan Nasional government. 

The resolution also called on the government to repeal certain articles in the Penal Code, Official Secrets Act, Communications and Multimedia Act, Film Censorship Act and Peaceful Assembly Act.

Its third resolution called on the government to impose a moratorium on some laws pending its abolition.

The fourth resolution called on the government to commence a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate allegations on judicial interference made by Justice Hamid Sultan Abu Backer last month.

Hamid had, in an affidavit, said that the decision in late Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh’s sedition appeal had been tampered with.

“The Malaysian Bar is outraged by the serious and shocking allegations in the affidavit,” the resolution read.

“If the RCI finds any act of direction, instruction or interference, appropriate action should be taken.”

The last resolution called for the RCI to include a term of reference on how appellate judges who sit in panels comprising more than one judge are assigned and allocated cases, and whether the current system should be changed. 

Besides Fareed, the legal body’s new office bearers are Chan Weng Keng (vice-president), Salim Bashir Bhaskaran (secretary) and Surindar Singh Chain Singh (treasurer).

According to Fareed, 835 out of 18,445 lawyers attended today’s AGM. – March 16, 2019.