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Salim Bashir Bhaskaran will lead the Malaysian Bar for the 2020/2021 term assisted by vice-president Surindar Singh Chain Singh, secretary AG Kalidas Krishnan and treasurer Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab.
The new office bearers were chosen today by the Bar Council’s 38 members after they convened their first meeting of the term.
These members had been elected during the Bar’s elections over the past few months.
Earlier, the Bar’s AGM saw a record low turnout of 87 members as of 12:15pm. This is amidst rising concerns over the spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia.
Held at Wisma MCA, the AGM was initially scheduled to begin at 10am but was postponed as the 500-member quorum was not met.
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According to the Legal Profession Act 1976, if a quorum is not met, the meeting must be adjourned for an hour. After which, however, many members present at the AGM will constitute the quorum.
Speaking in his first press conference as the new president, Salim said all 12 motions were withdrawn from the AGM due to the low turnout.
They will be tabled again and debated when the council decides a date for an Extraordinary General Meeting once the Covid-19 outbreak subsides.
Today’s AGM saw meetings minutes, financial accounts and other statutory motions adopted and passed, he added.
New president wants rule of law, IPCMC
Salim hoped that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government would uphold the rule of law and abolish draconian laws like the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) and the Sedition Act 1949.
“We are also urging the government to look into amending the constitution to separate the (roles of the) attorney-general and the public prosecutor,” he said.
He further urged PN to push through the Independent Police Complaints of Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill - an initiative started by the former Pakatan Harapan government.
“The Bar Council also calls upon the government to carry on with the good work of the earlier government in wanting to establish the IPCMC.
“We are urging the law minister (Takiyuddin Hassan) to consider tabling the new Legal Profession Act in the upcoming Parliament sitting,” Salim said. - Mkini
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