THE Bar Council yesterday (March 16) elected Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab as the president of the Malaysian Bar and Anand Raj as the vice president for the new term of 2024-2025.Ezri, the 34th President is now pressing, with a firm stance on legal reform, for the repeal of Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA).As the nation’s legal fraternity undergoes this transition, all eyes are on Ezri to navigate the Bar’s future amidst evolving legal landscapes and calls for justice reform.At the post-election press briefing, Ezri expressed gratitude to outgoing president Karen Cheah Yee Lynn for her service and hoped for continued progress. Cheah served two consecutive terms, as per the Legal Profession Act.Right after the press conference, he stated, “I would like to thank our previous president Karen Cheah Yee Lynn for her wonderful service to the Bar and we hope that there will be more progressive wisdom and that everything will go well.”Moreover, Ezri reported that the AGM initially lacked the required quorum but reconvened successfully with 382 members.Among the six motions passed, two were unanimous: one condemning regressive citizenship amendments and another urging the repeal of the SOSMA and considering a peaceful protest for its repeal.In lieu of SOSMA, he then added, “We have successfully conducted our AGM and we have passed six motions that have been adopted by the house. And two motions were unanimously passed, one regarding statelessness and the other regarding SOSMA.”Murshidah Mustafa, who had served as the Bar treasurer for the immediate past two terms, was elected as the new Malaysian Bar secretary. – March 17, 2024
