G100 motion at Bar AGM shot down

(The Star) – The 69th Malaysian Bar Annual General Meeting (AGM) has rejected a motion tabled by the G100, a self-proclaimed non-partisan group of lawyers, who sought to censure outgoing president Christopher Leong (pic).

The decision was reached via a vote of hand after about four hours of debate, where 161 voted in favour, 1194 voted against and two abstained.

Expressing his disappointment, G100 spokesperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman insisted that Leong had indeed uttered a “disparaging remark” against the judiciary when he questioned the Federal Court’s decision regarding Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy conviction.

“The majority of the members have voted in favour of the president and the president had also said he never committed contempt of court.

“He said he was only insulting the prosecution team, but we did not agree with him because he made the statement after the verdict was made,” he told reporters here, Saturday.

When asked whether the group would resort to bringing the matter to the authorities, Abdul Rahman said they have yet to decide on it.

“We will discuss among ourselves, but we will not lodge a police report as of now. We hope that the attorney-general or the police to take notice of this.

“It is up to the authorities now to decide whether there’s a contempt of court in Leong’s statement,” he added.

Earlier, the group tabled a motion to call upon Leong to retract his statement dated Feb 11, titled,  “Press Release: Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim: Prosecuted or Persecuted?” issued by him as President of the Malaysian Bar.

The motion, which also called upon him to tender a Public Apology to the Judiciary in respect thereof for bringing the Judiciary into contempt and misleading the Malaysian public, was proposed by Faidhur Rahman Abdul Hadi and seconded by Aidil bin Khalid.