Malaysian Bar passes motion calling for Attorney-General's resignation

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar today passed a motion calling for the resignation of Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.
The motion was passed in the legal body's 70th Annual General Meeting at the Renaissance Hotel here, attended by 1,110 members of the bar.
Malaysian Bar president Steven Thiru said there was concern voiced by members over Mohamed Apandi's decision to clear Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak of wrongdoings in the case involving the RM2.6 billion donation, as well as that involving SRC International.
"That was the concern that led to motion," he said.
"What the bar decided today was that it resolved that he (Mohamed Apandi) should resign," he said during a press conference after the meeting.
Despite passing the motion, Thiru said the bar has no power to push for the resignation of Mohamed Apandi and that the motion was a "call for resignation like any other call".
"It is coming from Malaysian Bar, which is the sole body representing practising lawyers in Malaysia. It certainly would have its bearing," he said.
He added the bar would be pushing its effort on the judicial review it had filed in court to challenge Mohamed Apandi's decision of clearing Najib.
Thiru also dismissed that the motion was political in nature, adding that the issue was of the interest of the public.
"The motion calling for Mohamed Apandi's resignation ... is actually regarding the rule of law and the administration of justice in Malaysia.
"Based on the Legal Profession Act, the bar is obliged to uphold the rule of law. That is the mandate that we have," he said.
The motion on Mohamed Apandi was among the five motions the bar had passed in the meeting.
The other motions include calling on the government to stop censorship of the internet, and rejecting the passing of the National Security Council bill.