No Automatic Carry Over For Bar Egm Motions Fresh Submissions Needed

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The Malaysian Bar’s key motions that were scheduled for debate at its aborted extraordinary general meeting (EGM) yesterday will not be automatically carried over to its next annual general meeting (AGM) in March.
Bar president Ezri Abdul Wahab said any such motions must be resubmitted in line with the Legal Profession Act.
“Any attempt to table the previous motions at the next AGM would require a fresh submission,” Ezri (above) told Malaysiakini.
Only 309 lawyers from Peninsular Malaysia - out of more than 24,000 members - turned up for the EGM, prompting its automatic dissolution for failing to meet the 500-member quorum.
ADSThree motions were scheduled for debate, including one on judicial independence led by Ezri and another to hold the prime minister accountable for allegedly undermining public confidence in the judiciary.
The latter was jointly proposed by senior lawyers Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Surendra Ananth.
Disappointment
When contacted, Surendra expressed disappointment over the EGM’s failure to proceed, saying the motions were significant not only for lawyers but for all Malaysians.
“But it doesn’t detract from the fact that about 1,400 lawyers walked under the scorching sun for about 2km for the same cause,” he said, referring to the Bar’s “Walk for Judicial Independence” protest in 2022.
“Perhaps the outreach and awareness efforts for this EGM were not sufficient or effective.”
Asked about the details of the motion, Surendra said it remains confidential as the EGM did not proceed.
“It would only be publicised if passed and announced by the president,” he said, adding that a decision will be made on whether to refile the motion for the AGM.
A third motion, calling for fair minimum remuneration for pupils, was proposed by lawyers Goh Cia Yee and Vince Tan.
Low turnout
Commenting on the low turnout, Goh said it was unfair to place the blame solely on younger members of the Bar.
Lawyer Goh Cia Yee“When the Bar is disengaged from young lawyers and their concerns, how is it their fault when the quorum isn’t met?”
ADSGoh, a spokesperson for the Young Lawyers Movement, also questioned the lack of hybrid options for meetings.
“Why are we not having at least a hybrid option in 2025? We have members in other states that could have joined,” he said.
“There’s precedent for virtual general meetings. The quality was not any lesser; they were more efficient.”
He added that the same motion on pupil remuneration will be re-tabled at the AGM. - Mkini

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