‘Make A-G Bar chairman’

Appointment would ensure council is neutral, says BN rep

DATUK Datu Nasrun Datu Mansur (BN-Silam) caused a stir when he proposed that the Attorney-General be appointed as the Bar Council’s chairman to ensure that it is politically impartial.

“The Bar Council must be independent and impartial.

“It is time that we move forward and I propose that the Attorney-General is automatically appointed as the Bar Council’s president,” he said in debating the Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill 2015.

Datu Nasrun lamented that the council had diverted from its original aim of looking after the welfare of lawyers.

“The Bar must return to its original objective of its formation, which is to look after the welfare of lawyers,” he added.

He said the council should also refrain from making statements with views that run contrary to the country’s laws.

Datu Nasrun also cited the Singapore Law Society, which is not allowed to comment or give its views on the country’s laws there unless requested by the government.

M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat), who is a lawyer, defended the council’s efforts to uphold justice without fear or favour by expressing its views on national issues.

He welcomed Datu Nasrun’s proposal, although he added that the idea had been proposed before but failed to materialise.

“A similar proposal was made 10 to 15 years ago.

“However, the Attorney-General shied away and did not want the post as it was subject to public scrutiny,” he said.

Datuk Seri Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) questioned the Bar Council’s election process and the lack of Malay representation in the committee.

“The Bar’s election process is questionable and an independent body should be appointed to conduct it,” he added.

Noh also questioned why there was a lack of Malay lawyers in the committee although 60% of some 16,000 registered lawyers were Malays.

Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari (BN-Setiawangsa) asked if there should be a quota set for the committee members.

Kulasegaran said the appointments were made based on merit.

“The Bar is not the Malay Civil Service,” he said.

In reply, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri said the Legal Profession Act needed to be amended to allow for the appointment of the A-G as Bar Council chairman.

“As of now, the post is made through ballot. More studies and discussions should be held if we want to accept the proposal,” she added.

The Bill was later passed.