THE Malaysian police’s investigation into lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan for “causing public harm” over a statement of defence in a defamation case filed in London may amount to contempt of the United Kingdom courts, the Malaysian Bar said.

Ambiga, who was named as a source of information by the Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, the defendant in a defamation suit, is a potential witness when the matter is called to trial, Bar president George Varughese said in a statement.

“As these allegations are by Rewcastle-Brown, and their truthfulness has yet to be established, there is no legal basis to investigate Ambiga.  Any such investigation is tantamount to harassment and/or intimidation of a potential witness. 

“All witnesses and potential witnesses have a right not to be harassed or intimidated.  Acts of harassment or intimidation may amount to contempt of the UK courts, and must cease immediately,” he said.

Rewcastle-Brown is being sued by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for an article her website published in August last year that alleged PAS received money from rival Malay party Umno in exchange for support for the Barisan Nasional ruling government.

Ambiga, a former Bar president, is being investigated by Malaysian police for allegedly providing information to Rewcastle-Brown on senior PAS leaders having received large sums of money from Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also Umno president.

Varughese said as the matter had been filed in the UK courts, it could only be determined in that jurisdiction.  

“Any person aggrieved by the contents of Rewcastle-Brown’s pleadings may apply in the UK courts to intervene in the proceedings,” he said.

The Bar also noted although several individuals had been named in the suit, Ambiga was being singled out. It condemned the “vicious and highly disparaging racist and sexist remarks” as well as a police report lodged against her.

“We condemn these personal attacks,” he said. – November 11, 2017.