100,000 can have a bearing on verdict, says lawyer

The Star

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat's move to gather 100,000 people in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has placed “undue pressure” over the court's stand on the Opposition Leader's sodomy trial on Monday, says lawyer Art Harun.

He said the trial, which he had described as “highly-charged and highly emotional”, should be allowed to take its own course.

“Why don't they let the court do its work? If they are not happy with the verdict, then appeal.

“What are the 100,000 people going to do there?

“How about the whole of Kuala Lumpur who wants to go to work that day?

“The lawyers and other members of the public who have to be at court as well?”

Art said emotions were bound to run high whether or not Anwar was found guilty or acquitted.

“If Anwar is convicted, then everyone may get angry and out of control, and the police may come. Some people may get injured.

“There are other safe avenues to support Anwar, especially now that it is an open world,” he said, referring to the varied sources of information the public could get from the Internet.

However, Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee said it respected, recognised, protected and upheld others' constitutional right to protest against court decisions.

He said this right was guaranteed under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution of the freedom of assembly “as long as it was peaceful and without arms”.

Lim added that the constitution did not otherwise provide restrictions on this freedom beyond any of that which Parliament deemed necessary.

“In other words, there is no prohibition against any protest against a court decision,” he said, adding that such protests were nothing unusual.