KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Bar in its Extraordinary
General Meeting (EGM) today adopted a resolution condemning the use of water
canons and tear gas by police against participants of the opposition-backed
Bersih 3.0 rally held in the city on April 28.
The resolution also blamed the police for not allowing the crowd sufficient
time to disperse in an orderly and safe manner, claiming this later led to
unwarranted arrests.
Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee who read out a total of 12 resolutions
adopted at the EGM, renewed its call to the government not to delay further on
the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.
Out of 1,270 members who attended the EGM, 939 of them supported the
resolutions, which also called on the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to identify
their personnel involved in misconduct during the rally so that they could be
prosecuted.
One of its resolution also touched on the need for organisers of public
assemblies of their responsiblity to take all reasonable action to ensure a
peaceful assembly.
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BAR-POLICE 2 KUALA LUMPUR
The Malaysian Bar also expressed its concern with reports that certain
people had crossed through the police perimeter barriers even though the
organisers had called for a dispersal of the assembly.
Members of press were not allowed to cover the EGM held at a ballroom of a
hotel here. Only lawyers issued with special stickers were allowed in. The EGM
lasted nearly about two and a half hour with some lawyers speaking out against
the resolutions.
Asked on the Bar''s next move, Lim told reporters that they would engage and
extend their fullest coperation to top officials of PDRM, Suhakam, and the Home
Ministry in addressing the matter.
When asked to comment on the six-member Independent Advisory Panel headed by
former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar to gather the actual details
on riots that happened during the rally, Lim said the the panel should be headed
by former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim following
statements by Hanif who had linked the organisers with some communist elements.
He also said the Bar Council would not engage with the panel as it lacked a
legal framework, was not empowered to call witnesses or ask for documents.
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BAR-POLICE 3 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR
On Wednesday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein announced
that Hanif, Shim, managing director of Kumpulan Akhbar Sinar Harian Datuk
Husammuddin Yaacub, Sin Chiew Group legal advisor Liew Peng Chuan, Petronas
Corporate Affairs senior general manager Datuk Medan Abdullah and Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia psychologist Prof Dr Ruszmi Ismail had been appointed as the
panel''s members.
During the same press conference, Lim also revealed on the final report of
the Bar''s monitoring team of the April 28 rally in Kuala Lumpur, which claimed
that police had used force in dispersing the crowd.
Meanwhile, in similar rallies in Penang, Kuantan Johor Bharu and Ipoh,
police had facilitated the rallies, the report said.
-- BERNAMA
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