Malaysia Bar only stands up against a particular legislation when it was against the rule of law.
KUALA LUMPUR: About 600 members of the Malaysian Bar Council and other Bar associations marched to Parliament House today, sending a strong signal to the government to abolish the Sedition Act.
Penang State Assembly member and lawyer RSN Rayer said the “Walk for Peace and Freedom 2014” was to show that the issue was a legal one, not political. “People will realise that when the lawyers walk, something is really wrong.
“The Sedition Act should not be used in our time. It is a colonial law used against those who opposed British law,” he said.
Negara-ku co-founder Ambiga Seenevasan said lawyers only stood up against a particular legislation when it was against the rule of law.
“There is something very wrong with this legislation. We have already pointed out what’s wrong and the Bar president has said enough about it.
“To have an odious piece of legislation like this is not good for Malaysia,” she said.
Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo demanded that Prime Minister Najib Razak explain the “U-turn”
after having made his pledge to repeal the Sedition Act in 2012.
“I’m sure the prime minister had studied the position of the Sedition Act before making such a statement back in 2012. And suddenly, there is this U-turn, and people are looking for an explanation.
“So we are here today so that the government can see the lawyers unite and voice their displeasure against the manner in which this Act has been used, if not abused.
“If lawyers stand up and say that something is wrong with this Act, then something must be wrong,” said Gobind.
Law lecturer Azmi Shahrom, who also showed his support, said it was a good initiative to make the point clear that the Act was opposed not only by the people but also by the legal fraternity.
“It does not matter if the government will pay attention to the movement, but the people need to know that this is a bad law.
“I have no control on what the government does, so I’m hoping that the message gets through not just to them, but to everyone,” he added.
Bar president Christopher Leong, in addressing the 600 lawyers present at 9.40am, said the misuse of the Sedition Act “is an unprecedented abuse against lawyers, students, journalists and civil society.
“We are here to claim back the democratic public place. As much as you may try, you cannot stop our freedom of expression, our thoughts,” he said.
Penang State Assembly member and lawyer RSN Rayer said the “Walk for Peace and Freedom 2014” was to show that the issue was a legal one, not political. “People will realise that when the lawyers walk, something is really wrong.
“The Sedition Act should not be used in our time. It is a colonial law used against those who opposed British law,” he said.
Negara-ku co-founder Ambiga Seenevasan said lawyers only stood up against a particular legislation when it was against the rule of law.
“There is something very wrong with this legislation. We have already pointed out what’s wrong and the Bar president has said enough about it.
“To have an odious piece of legislation like this is not good for Malaysia,” she said.
Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo demanded that Prime Minister Najib Razak explain the “U-turn” after having made his pledge to repeal the Sedition Act in 2012.
“I’m sure the prime minister had studied the position of the Sedition Act before making such a statement back in 2012. And suddenly, there is this U-turn, and people are looking for an explanation.
“So we are here today so that the government can see the lawyers unite and voice their displeasure against the manner in which this Act has been used, if not abused.
“If lawyers stand up and say that something is wrong with this Act, then something must be wrong,” said Gobind.
Law lecturer Azmi Shahrom, who also showed his support, said it was a good initiative to make the point clear that the Act was opposed not only by the people but also by the legal fraternity.
“It does not matter if the government will pay attention to the movement, but the people need to know that this is a bad law.
“I have no control on what the government does, so I’m hoping that the message gets through not just to them, but to everyone,” he added.
Bar president Christopher Leong, in addressing the 600 lawyers present at 9.40am, said the misuse of the Sedition Act “is an unprecedented abuse against lawyers, students, journalists and civil society.
“We are here to claim back the democratic public place. As much as you may try, you cannot stop our freedom of expression, our thoughts,” he said.
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