Bar Council denies ulterior motive in clarifying Rohaizat’s case
(The Malaysian Insider) – The Bar Council today dismissed allegations by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that it had ulterior motives in confirming to the media that Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Permatang Pasir by-election Rohaizat Othman was a disbarred lawyer.
Its secretary George Varughese said today in a statement that it was authorised to speak on behalf of the disciplinary board, which is established under the Legal Profession Act.
Muhyiddin, the deputy president of Umno, had hit out at the Bar Council yesterday for “having an agenda” against the 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 in response to queries from the media Tuesday, confirming that Rohaizat was a disbarred lawyer.
Rohaizat had been disbarred last year after he was found guilty by the disciplinary board of misconduct in 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.
