Former Malaysian Bar chief backs Karen Cheah for second term

 

The 77th annual general meeting of the Malaysian Bar will be held on March 18.

KUALA LUMPUR: A former Malaysian Bar chairman has backed incumbent Karen Cheah to retain her post for a second term.

Outgoing Bar Council member Salim Bashir said Cheah has done a good job and should be allowed to serve a second term.

He commended Cheah for taking decisions collectively and for several bold statements she has made over the past year on matters of public interest in line with the objects of the Bar as set out in the Legal Profession Act 1976 (LPA).

Salim, who served as Bar chief from 2020 to 2021, cited Cheah’s organisation of the “walk for judicial independence” last June as one example.

That event was organised to voice the Bar’s dissatisfaction with a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation into Justice Nazlan Ghazali, who presided over Najib Razak’s corruption trial.

The Bar said the MACC action amounted to intimidation of the judiciary.

“Personally, I have not heard of any other individual lobbying for the president’s post for the new term,” Salim told FMT.

The council’s 42 members will convene after the 77th annual general meeting on Saturday to elect its president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer for the 2023/24 term.

Under Section 54(1) of the LPA, the Bar president must be elected by the Bar Council from among its members, but shall not hold office for more than two consecutive years.

The previous three Bar Council chairmen served for only one year each, either opting not to seek a second term or losing their bid to stay in office.

Cheah told FMT she is offering her services to lead the Bar for another year.

“I will leave it to the council members to evaluate their decision,” she said. - FMT