‘Lawyers not violating ethical principles’

The Star
by RAZAK AHMAD, MARTIN CARVALHO, RAHMAH GHAZALI, WANI MUTHIAH, A. RUBAN, AND TASHNY SUKUMARAN

PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Edmund Bon has not violated any ethical principles of the legal profession, said Andrew Khoo, co-chairperson of the Bar Council’s Human Rights Committee.

Khoo was commenting on elections watchdog Bersih 2.0’s statement that lawyers Bon and New Sin Yew were violating human rights principles by representing Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim in his complaint with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) against PKR for wrongful dismissal.

“Every litigant has a right to seek a lawyer of his or her choice. Lawyers, in taking up the cases, should not be necessarily seen as identifying or agreeing with the cause of the client.

“Even for an unpopular cause, clients have the right to legal counsel.”

Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah recently said that both Bon and New, who is a member of Bersih’s steering committee, were violating the very principles they claimed to champion.

She also denounced Khalid’s recent actions as a betrayal of those who had voted for PKR, and called the ROS “fundamentally against” the freedom of expression.

Members of the legal fraternity have both criticised and thrown their support behind Bon, who recently tweeted “Since many are sidetracked by critique (regarding) lawyers, please read the Basic Principles of Role of Lawyers.”

Last week he also posted “I have said time again there are some lawyers who are politicians (in parties) and some lawyers only. I choose the latter. I have no conflict.”