Bar: Najib should consider capable local lawyers
Published on: Wednesday, June 20, 2018
GEORGE TOWN: A Member of Parliament has urged the Malaysian Bar to be vigilant and cautious when considering any ad hoc application by foreign lawyers to defend former premier Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Malaysia.Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer said although Article 5 of the Federal Constitution allows a citizen the right to choose a counsel of his choice, this fundamental right should not be abused."I urge the Malaysian Bar to carefully consider and scrutinise any such application by the foreign lawyers.ADVERTISEMENT "In my opinion, there is absolutely no necessity for Najib to engage a foreign team of lawyers from the United States when the Criminal Bar in Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak, has many well-experienced senior criminal lawyers," he said in a statement.Rayer said he did not see any reason why Najib hired US-based lawyers when his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor opted for Malaysian lawyers for herself."It is imperative that the application by any foreign lawyers to practise law here must be subject to the scrutiny of the Selection Committee of the Malaysian Bar under the Legal Profession Act."These applications on ad hoc basis should only be allowed after careful consideration and recommendation, which may further take time and cause unnecessary delay, derailing the due process of law in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) saga," he said.ADVERTISEMENT Rayer also urged the Malaysian Bar not to approve such ad hoc applications as it would open the floodgates to an influx of foreign lawyers into the country."Admitting US lawyers to defend Najib will also lead to an impression that Malaysian lawyers are inferior to their foreign counterparts and lack the necessary expertise to represent clients charged with money-laundering and corruption offences.
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"Such impression is not what we Malaysian lawyers want," he said."The Malaysian Bar is second to none."