Malaysian Bar

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The Malaysian Bar Coat of Arms
Bar Council of Malaysia (headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysian Bar (Malay: Badan Peguam Malaysia) is a professional body which regulates the profession of lawyers in peninsular Malaysia. In Malaysia, there is no distinction between a barrister and a solicitor, in that, it is a fused profession. Membership into the bar is automatic and mandatory.[1] The bar was created under the Legal Profession Act 1976.[2] Like other bar associations around the world, it has a wide range of functions, including, to protect the reputation of the legal profession, to uphold the cause of justice, to express its views on matters relating to legislations, and others.[3] The bar also has powers to impose punishment against lawyers for any professional misconducts.

The management of the affairs of the Bar is undertaken by a council known as the Bar Council (Malay: Majlis Peguam).[4] The Bar Council consists of the immediate past president and vice-president of the Malaysian Bar, the chairman and elected members of each State Bar Committees, and other elected members.[4]

Separate bodies regulate the legal profession in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. Their bar association are known as the Sabah Law Association and the Advocates' Association of Sarawak respectively.

The bar is headed by a president. As of March 2013, the president of the bar is Christopher Leong.

Involvement in Politics

The Malaysian Bar does not only wields its power within the legal professions but also has an influence regarding matters that effect the whole nation.

Bersih 3.0

The Bersih rally was organized by their former president Ambiga Seevaneesan. In the recent People's Uprising Rally 2013 the Bar Council act as legal advisors for the organizers. They even sent a team of lawyers just in case any of the participant were detained by the police. Lawyer Ranjit Singh Dillon questioned the current bar council president Lim Chee Wee on the action taken by the bar to support the opposition rally.[5]

Affiliation To The Opposition

The Bar council tries to establish itself as an independent body. However, there's many recorded incident when the bar seems to be allowing itself to be associated with the Pakatan Rakyat. Lawyer K.Ragunath once queried the Malaysian Bar because of their pro opposition stands will diminish the credibility of the institution.[6]

Notable Cases

The bar still continues their fight for the deceased Teoh Beng Hock a Chinese Malaysia who is affiliated with the DAP. Beng Hock died under the watch of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission.[7]

They also did the same for Kugan Ananthan a criminal suspect who died in police custody. [8]

List of presidents of the Malaysian Bar

Malayan Bar (1947-1963)

  • 1947-1952: E. D. Shearn
  • 1953-1960: R. Ramani
  • 1960-1961: Morris Edgar
  • 1961-1963: R. Ramani

Malaysian Bar

  • 1963-1963: Johannes Kerkorel
  • 1963-1964: S. M. Yong
  • 1964-1973: R. R. Chelliah
  • 1973-1974: Chan Hua Eng
  • 1974-1976: V. C. George
  • 1976-1978: Raja Aziz Addruse
  • 1978-1980: Abdullah A. Rahman
  • 1980-1982: G. T. S. Sidhu
  • 1982-1984: S. Sivasubaramaniam
  • 1984-1986: Ronald Khoo
  • 1986-1988: Param Cumaraswamy
  • 1988-1989: Raja Aziz Addruse
  • 1989-1991: S. Theivanthiran
  • 1991-1992: Manjeet Singh Dhillon
  • 1992-1993: Raja Aziz Addruse
  • 1993-1995: Zainur Zakaria
  • 1995-1997: Hendon Haji Abdullah
  • 1997-1999: Cyrus V. Das
  • 1999-2000: R. R. Chelvarajah
  • 2000-2001: Haji Sulaiman Abdullah
  • 2001-2003: Mah Weng Kwai
  • 2003-2005: Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari
  • 2005-2007: Yeo Yang Poh
  • 2007-2009: Ambiga Sreenevasan
  • 2009-2011: Ragunath Kesavan
  • 2011-2012: Lim Chee Wee
  • 2013-Present: Christopher Leong

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Section 43. Advocate and solicitors members of the Bar". Legal Profession Act 1976. Retrieved 2008-01-30. 
  2. ↑ "Section 41. Establishment of Malaysian Bar". Legal Profession Act 1976. Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-01-30. 
  3. ↑ "Section 42. Object and powers of the Bar". Legal Profession Act 1976. Retrieved 2008-01-30. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Section 47. Establishment of Bar Council". Legal Profession Act 1976. Retrieved 2008-02-12. 
  5. ↑ http://www.mole.my/content/ranjit-singh-liberty-object-bar-council
  6. ↑ http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/06/23/%E2%80%98the-bar-council-is-way-above-its-spore-counterpart%E2%80%99/
  7. ↑ http://www.selangortimes.com/index.php?section=insight&permalink=20120906141103-remembering-teoh-beng-hock
  8. ↑ http://mstar.com.my/berita/cerita.asp?file=/2009/1/22/mstar_berita/20090122102654&sec=mstar_berita

External links

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