KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar has passed a motion of no confidence against Attorney-General Idrus Harun at its extraordinary general meeting (EGM) this afternoon.
The motion submitted for voting read that the Bar had “no confidence in the attorney-general for his abject failure to defend the judiciary from attacks and to uphold the rule of law”.
In its motion, the lawyers cited the alleged attacks against Court of Appeal judge Nazlan Ghazali, the trial judge for former prime minister Najib Razak’s SRC International case.
Idrus’ tenure was extended for six months in March.
The Bar also admonished the conduct of law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said, which the lawyers said undermined the judiciary’s independence.
Last month, Azalina said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s probe on Nazlan concluded that he had violated the Judges’ Code of Ethics and had a conflict of interest when presiding over the SRC case.
In a letter dated March 20 to Najib’s solicitors, Shafee & Co, Azalina confirmed that Nazlan, who presided over Najib’s SRC trial in the High Court, had breached the code and had a conflict of interest.
She said this was based on a report of MACC’s findings dated Feb 20, which the agency extended to her.
In today’s motion, the Bar also said it “deplored” MACC for producing the report, the timing and the manner in which it was released, and the purported conclusion contained therein, “which was not within the purview of MACC’s powers”.
The lawyers also said they had mandated the Bar Council to give notice to the attorney-general to bring contempt proceedings against those “responsible for attacks on the judiciary”.
“… Failing which the Bar Council shall consider, and if deemed fit, commence contempt proceedings, or any other proceedings or actions in affirmation of the resolutions above”.
In an interview after the EGM, Bar president Karen Cheah told FMT that there were “several options available to us” should Idrus’ contract be extended again.
“I don’t think we have decided which option we will take,” she said without revealing more.
Cheah also said that a copy of the motion would be presented to the relevant ministries to “encourage and promote the objectives we want to carry.”
On April 20, FMT reported that 175 lawyers petitioned to convene an EGM of the Bar to debate a motion condemning the “scurrilous attacks” on the judiciary’s independence and “upholding the rule of law”.
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