My guess is that there are a few, not many.
Then, I met Malik Imtiaz and Haris Ibrahim.
And my faith in the legal profession is restored.
With this, even more:
In light of the potential threat to freedom of expression by the use of the repressive Internal Security Act and Sedition Act, the Bar Council Human Rights Committee has decided to initiate a drive to gather a pool of volunteer lawyers to be on standby to assist bloggers.
This will be part of the Interventions Strike Force led by Deputy Chair Amer Hamzah Arshad.
This is in line with the Bar’s aim to provide legal representation to all those in need, particularly in cases where State action is being taken against freedom of expression.
Naturally, this does not in any way amount to the Bar condoning any statements made on any blog which do in fact amount to a legitimate offence.
If you are a LAWYER who is able to help, please email to:
The Human Rights Research Officer, Mr Rajen Devaraj
Email: rajen@malaysianbar.org.my
Fax at 03-20342825/20261313
Give your Name, Firm and full contact details (including email address and handphone number) so he can liaise with you.
Thank you, Zorro, for highlighting this.
How noble, how very gallant of the Bar Association to be on hand to assist such special group of people. Poor Bloggers, being persecuted by politicians and authorities, so helpless, so downtrodden and will be called by the police to answer charges whenever somebody with double whatevername make reports. And yet they are such special people, they can do no wrong, they are so clever with words, they can run the country better if given the chance, they see things which majority of us are too blind to see. They are not mothers/fathers who shoplift milk and provisions to feed their children, they are not youths who rob to pay their college fees, they are not wives who are trying to get custody of ttheir children or who are trying to get divorce from their abusive husbands. Those people and others desperately needing legal representations does not matter, they can't afford lawyers but so what. They are not special, they are nobodies, they are not clever and they are nothing unlike our very own newly emerging power to be afraid of.....the BLOGGERS.
ReplyDeleteNOBODY.
anon@11:45am:
ReplyDeletei know one thing - the authorities are comin down hard on a few bloggers who have been critical of the abuse of government, exposing police brutality, corruption..
they dare speak where others darre not.
and it is about the government, the entire system coming down on them.
and i am thankful that there are lawyers out there who feel that there is injustice in this.
anon@11:45am:
ReplyDeletei'm sorry..i meant abuse IN government.
thank u.
This is really good, Ena. Remember when the NSTP and our 4 (ex) friends sued Jeff and I? I was thinking the worst and then the phones started ringing. I still remember the lawyers I never knew who got hold of my number and email address, offering their service. And then, yes, I met Malik and Haris.
ReplyDeleteBefore that, I met Karpal at his office. He was the one who said I should try and get Malik to represent me. The problem was Malik had already agreed to be Jeff's consel (pro bono, of course). And extending the same to me may be stretching it ...
The rest is history (in the making).
One of them should run for Parliament at the next general election. Haris is a damn good candidate. Edmund Bon, too.
rocky (ahirudin):
ReplyDeleteyes, i know. I never thought there were lawyers (except for Karpal Singh) who were willing to habdle a case for free!
i know there is the legal aid bureau to help those who cannot afford legal fees to represent them.
but your case was landmark.
i think it was more than representing a "poor" blogger. i think it is the injustice of it all. people close to the powers-that-be trying to show who's the big boy now, who's the one with influence... not you, you poor sod of a blogger, it's us, the lackeys of the powers-that-be! we can make or break you! that's what they're saying.
and i am glad that there are people out there with a conscience -- some lawyers included.
how interesting ! another concerned brave lady blogger ( who some confirmed beyond any doubt devils call monkeys ),
ReplyDeletehow nice
Ah, about time. Boleh lah saya tolong sikit2..... Setakat yang terdaya dan tertahu...
ReplyDeleteThat Amer Hamzah guy is my senior in college. He, too, is a good litigation lawyer.
Kak Ena, I am so sorry but I cannot be there at MR tomorrow. I havea lunch meeting. Love to everyone esp Kak Ton & Abg Lan