Malaysian Bar to snub Legal Year 2018 Proceedings

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Bar has decided to snub this year’s opening of the Legal Year Ceremonial Proceedings (OLY 2018 Proceedings) because it is unhappy with the change in format of the event.

In a circular dated Dec 21 last year, the Bar said it was invited by the judiciary to take part in today’s event in Putrajaya.

The proceedings, read the circular, have always included a speech by the Chief Justice, as well as speeches by the AttorneyGeneral or his representative, as well as the President of the Bar.

“However, for the OLY 2018 Proceedings, we were informed that only the Chief Justice will be giving a speech.

“This change in format – from three speeches to only one speech – diminishes the involvement and role of the Malaysian Bar in the OLY 2018 Proceedings.

“In view of this change, it is with regret that the Bar Council has declined the invitation to participate in the OLY 2018 Proceedings,” read the circular issued by Bar secretary Roger Chan Weng Keng (pic).

Chan said the Bar had conveyed its “hope” to the judiciary that the opening of the Legal Year Proceedings in 2019 would include the speeches by all three parties.

Since the introduction of the legal year in 2010, the event has always involved three parties, namely the Court, the AttorneyGeneral’s Chambers and the Bar, as all three are “equal partners in carrying in the administration of justice”.

However, in an interview with Malay daily Utusan Malaysia, Chief Justice Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif said there were earlier discussions with the Bar but they wanted to raise the matter of his term extension in their speech.

“I felt it was not proper to raise the issue at this event. In addition, this case is in court and I requested their goodwill to omit that from the speech.

“However, they did not agree. As such, I informed the AttorneyGeneral that I would change this year’s format so that there would be no speeches by the Bar or the AG’s Chambers, and only I would speak,” he was quoted as saying.

Md Raus added that although presenting speeches during the event is traditional, its format can be changed.

He said his speech this year would touch on future plans by the judiciary to ensure that stakeholders could work together to achieve them.