Malaysian Bar, legal practitioners should act according to law - Takiyuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar and legal practitioners should act according to the law, including when providing explanations and enlightenment on the law to the community.

In making the call, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said it is disappointed that when the government's machinery including its finances are focused on efforts to combat COVID-19, there are some who try to interpret the law to their whims and fancies, aimed at gaining popularity.

"As a professional body, I am confident that the Malaysian Bar will uphold the principles of fairness and the rule of law and continue to fight against attempts to distort the law, especially during this critical time," he said in a statement today.

Takiyuddin said that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had agreed to make a proclamation of emergency on Jan 11 after he was satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security, or the economic life, or the public order in the Federation is threatened.

He stressed that the move was taken to enable the government to strengthen its efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the Emergency Ordinance will be in effect until Aug 1.

-- BERNAMA