CJ: Bar insistent on bringing up extension, appointment issues

Chief Justice Md Raus Sharif today explained that he decided to deliver the sole speech at the opening of the Legal Year as the Malaysian Bar was insistent on bringing up the issue of tenure extension and appointments involving him and Court of Appeal president Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin.

Speaking to a press conference, Raus said he had had several meetings with the Bar prior to today's event and he had told them to not raise the issue in their speech as the Bar had already an application (the challenge the appointments) in court. 

“So it is not proper for them to raise it here. If you speak on the issue the attorney-general (Mohamed Apandi Ali) may want to respond to it in his speech. I also looked at two pages of a copy of Malaysian Bar president (George Varughese's) speech and he wants to raise the issue.

“They (the Bar) are insisting on raising the issue, which is in court. Objections cannot be raised at a public forum like this. Look, this event is organised by the judiciary. Say there is an invitation sent to people to your house, but you criticise the host - it would be unfair right?

“Hence, we decided to change the format this year, because of their (the Bar's) insistence,” said Raus. 

At a Bar Council dinner last night, Varughese said that the change of format is tantamount to muzzling the Bar.

“This change in format - from three speeches to one speech - diminishes the involvement and role of the Bar in the legal year. Had we taken part, we would be little more than invited guests. This amounts to a muzzling of the Bar and raises the question of whether this change in format is a result of some concern about what the Bar would say,” he had said in his speech.

[More to follow]

-Mkini