On 20 May 2009, Ragunath Kesavan, President of the Malaysian Bar presented a memorandum to SUHAKAM Commissioner, Professor Chiam Keng Heng calling upon SUHAKAM to conduct a public inquiry into the arrest of the (5) Bar Council Legal Aid lawyers on 7 May 2009.
Also present at the meeting were George Varughese, the Hon. Secretary, Council members - Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan, Puan Hendon Mohamed and Brendan Navin Siva, Human Rights Committee member, Noor Arianti Osman, and (3) of the (5) Bar Council Legal Aid Lawyers, namely Fadiah Nadwa Binti Fikri, Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal and Murnie Hidayah Binti Anuar.
Ragunath said that an arrested person’s right of access to a legal practitioner was guaranteed by Section 28A (4) of the Criminal Procedure Code and Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution and this made it incumbent on lawyers to try to see their clients at police stations. He said the arrest of the Legal Aid lawyers was an attempt by the police to punish and humiliate them, and to discourage lawyers in general from being present at police stations to assist detained persons.
Professor Chiam said that Suhakam would consider the Bar Council request at its next meeting scheduled for June. Meanwhile the 5 Legal Aid Lawyers who are presently on police bail have been asked to report to the Brickfields police station at 10 a.m. on Friday, 22 May 2009.
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