May 11, 2012
Lawyers
assemble at Lake Gardens to protest the Peaceful Assembly Bill (now
Act), in Kuala Lumpur November 29, 2011. — Picture by Clara Chooi
Its president, Lim Chee Wee, said that “at the minimum”, council
leaders hope to hold discussions with the three parties and the
Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) over the Malaysian Bar’s
resolution today condemning alleged acts of police aggression against
Bersih 3.0 protesters.
“Engagement is important. We believe in engagement. To be fair to the
IGP, we have had various engagements (with him). But on what has
happened in KL... this has gone too far and we hope that he (IGP) will
keep an open mind.
“At the minimum, we are seeking across-the-table (discussions),” he
told reporters after the council’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM)
this evening.
“I am not discounting that possibility,” he added, when asked if the
council would organise a lawyers’ walk over its Bersih 3.0 findings. “A
member of the Bar suggested that (the walk) and the council has to make a
decision on that.”
The Malaysian Bar had earlier approved a resolution condemning the
police for using “excessive” and “indiscriminate” force to disperse
Bersih 3.0 protesters on April 28, despite objections raised by a
minority group of lawyers during today’s EGM.
The resolution, passed by way of voting this evening, also demands
apologies from the home minister and the IGP to the public and members
of the media over the conduct of the police during the rally.
According to Lim, only 16 of the 1,270 Malaysian Bar members in
attendance today had opposed the resolution, which contained findings of
alleged police brutality against protesters and members of the media.
A total of 939 votes were recorded in support of the resolution. There are some 14,000 members in the Malaysian Bar.
Lim also expressed “disappointment” that, to date, not one police
personnel has been investigated for using excessive force during the
April 28 rally for free and fair elections whereas several court charges
have already been slapped against protesters,
“The IGP has to answer. We intend to ask him,” he said.
Today’s EGM was called to discuss the slew of issues surrounding the
rally for free and fair elections, which saw chaos on the streets of the
capital when police fired tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse
protesters.
According to a notice issued on the Malaysian Bar’s official website
on May 4, the EGM was called to discuss a motion “in relation to the
events of and surrounding the public rally on 28 April 2012 organised by
Bersih 3.0, and matters in connection therewith”.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak recently labelled the
demonstration as an attempt by certain quarters to overthrow the elected
Barisan Nasional (BN) government, as he hardened his administration’s
position towards the electoral reform movement.
Lim previously said that the Bar’s monitoring team had found more
instances of police brutality compared to last year’s July 9 Bersih
event.
He also said the authorities failed to take heed of criticism and
recommendations outlined by Suhakam with regards to police conduct
during Bersih’s first two rallies, and lamented on how “little has
changed.”
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