Sep 26, 07 11:51am
A peaceful 'Walk for Justice' organised by the Bar Council ended with
the submission of a memorandum to the Prime Minister's Department
calling for the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry to
stem the slide in the judiciary.
A four-member delegation from the Bar Council submitted the
memorandum to an official from the PM's Department. The premier is
currently in New York.
Having earlier defied a police order not to march to the office, some
1,500 protesters waited patiently outside for their representatives
to hand over the memorandum, braving heavy rain which started about
12.45pm.
The protesters - most of them lawyers - had taken about 30 minutes to
reach the building.
They chanted "We want justice" as they marched, holding placards
stating "Judiciary has gone to the dogs" and "Judiciary has gone
(down) the drain".
A four-member delegation led by Bar Council chairperson Ambiga
Sreenevasan then went into the PM's Department to meet with an official.
The protesters, who had gathered at the Palace of Justice in
Putrajaya this morning, were denied permission by the police to march
the 3.5 kilometres to the Prime Minister's Department to submit the
memorandum.
According to eyewitnesses, Putrajaya police chief Supt Abdul Razak
Abdul Majid told the protest organisers - the Bar Council - that the
march could not proceed due to security reasons.
Bar Council vice-chairperson Ragunath Kesavan confirmed this to
Malaysiakini when contacted at the time. He added that they would
proceed with the march.
The protesters heard a short speech from Ambiga before starting their
march at noon - an hour later than scheduled.
"We walk peacefully and with dignity," said Ambiga, who added that
she was overwhelmed by, and proud of, the good turnout today.
She said that the march is a "walk for justice" as "we deserve a
first-class judiciary".
"When lawyers walk, that means there is something wrong. We want
changes in the judiciary," she said.
Independent panel
Ambiga also reiterated that the Bar welcomed the government's move to
set up an independent panel to look into the Lingam tape, the latest
in a series of scandals involving the judiciary.
"This shows that the government recognises that there is a problem.
However we still want a royal commission of inquiry," she said.
Ambiga said of the inquiry: "It can only be the first step. They
can't force the presentation of witnesses or documents."
She described the heavy security during the protest, including the
presence of anti-riot police and a police helicopter, as "an act of
intimidation".
This morning, seven buses packed with protesters were stopped by
police from entering Putrajaya, but they made their way on foot to
the Palace of Justice.
When contacted, Abdul Razak said he was busy (on the ground) and was
not able to comment.
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