Muhyiddin calls Bar Council fines parking tickets

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin hit out at the Bar Council today for having an agenda against Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate for the by-election here, after it was revealed the Umno man was a disbarred lawyer.

The Bar Council had issued a statement following queries from the media yesterday confirming that Rohaizat Othman, the candidate, was a disbarred lawyer.

Rohaizat had been disbarred last year after he was found guilty by the Bar Council’s disciplinary committee of misconduct by failing to return RM161,000 belonging to his client, the Penang Rubber Smallholders’ Cooperative.

The Bar Council also clarified that Rohaizat had been found guilty of personal misconduct and had lost his appeal against the decision in the High Court last Wednesday, five days before Umno nominated him for the by-election.

The Bar Council’s statement contradicts Rohaizat’s version of the events. The candidate blames his partner in his law firm for committing the misconduct.

But the Bar Council says it does not hold lawyers liable for the actions of their partners.

Speaking to reporters today, Muhyiddin said: “We don’t know what is the agenda of the Bar Council.

“It is as if they are on the side of certain quarters. I am sure they have some agenda.”

The deputy Umno president attempted to downplay the issue and said the campaign should not be burdened by the issues surrounding its candidate.

“The important point is that the Elections Commission has cleared him,” said Muhyiddin.

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