Call on Inspector-General of Police to withdraw unreasonable and unconstitutional conditions imposed on "The Return of The Legal Eagles" forum on justice, freedom, democracy and good governance to be held at Federal Hotel tomorrow night

(Petaling Jaya, Sunday): While the police are to be commended for a more open and tolerant attitude to public meetings and gatherings as in the issue of a police permit for the holding of "The Return of The Legal Eagles"  forum on justice, freedom, democracy and good governance  to be held at Federal Hotel (Banquet Hall) tomorrow, Monday, 22nd June 1998 from 8.30 p.m - 11.30 p.m, I call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Rahim Noor to withdraw unreasonable and unconstitutional conditions imposed in the police permit.

"The Return of The Legal Eagles" is a sequel to the "Gathering of Legal Eagles"  in sympathy, support and solidarity with Lim Guan Eng  and which was organised as a forum for lawyers and Malaysians concerned about public policy issues which have been brought to the fore by the Lim Guan Eng case, such as:

• freedom of expression, human rights and fundamental liberties;
• politically-motivated and selective prosecutions;
• sub-judice bona fide proper fair comments and constructive criticisms of Judicial judgments and decisions;
• public confidence and independence of the Judiciary;
• the role of MPs and concerned citizens to conscientiously and diligently discharge their rights to provide  check-and-balance of the system and to speak up against  its wrongdoings, accountability and transparency;
• the international image of Malaysia;
• the nature of a civil society we want to build in Malaysia
• the future of democracy and good governance in Malaysia, two essential weapons in the fight  for human freedom and
• the battle against corruption.

"a)  Ceramah yang diberi tidak menyentuh kepada perkara-perkara iaitu:

i. Mempunyai unsur hasutan seperti menimbulkan benci, menghina atau
membangkitkan perasaan tidak kepuasan hati terhadap mana-mana Raja atau
Kerajaan.

ii.Menimbulkan kebencian, menghina atau membangkitkan perasaan tidak
puashati terhadap pentadbiran keadilan di Malaysia.
Contoh - Mempertikaikan keputusan yang telah dibuat oleh Mahkamah terhadap
sesuatu kes.
       - Tohmahan terhadap pihak penguatkuasaan dan pendakwaan kerana
mengambil tindakan secara tidak adil di dalam mengendalikan sesuatu kes dan
lain-lain.

iii.  Membangkitkan perasaan sakit hati dan bermusuhan di antara berlainan
bangsa atau di antara kelas penduduk Malaysia.
Contoh - Membangkitkan isu keagamaan yang boleh menimbulkan perasaan sakit hati atau bermusuhan.
       - Membangkitkan isu perkauman dan lain-lain."

The police should seek the advice of the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah, as to whether it is proper, reasonable and constitutional for the police to impose all the conditions attached in the permit for the "The Return of the Legal Eagles" forum, and I hope that the police would withdraw those conditions which are manifestly unreasonable and unconstitutional.

The panellists at the "The Return of Legal Eagles" are:

   1.Dato� Param Cumaraswamy
   2.Ramdas Tikamdas
   3.S.D. Sharma
   4.Abdul Razak Ahmad
   5.Cecil Rajendara
   6.Karpal Singh
   7.Muhammad Shafee Abdullah
   8.Sivarasa Rasiah
   9.Lim Kit Siang
  10.Lim Guan Eng
 

Malaysian civil society response to the injustice of the Lim Guan Eng case as well as the larger public issues of justice, freedom, democracy and good governance

Let "The Return of the Legal Eagles" forum tomorrow be a historic milestone in Malaysia in the development of a vibrant civil society where a clear and loud message is sent out by lawyers and right-thinking Malaysians  that when justice, freedom, democracy and good governance come under assault,  the civil society will stand up to peacefully and constitutionally reclaim their fundamental rights.

For this reason, leading personalities  of the civil society like Professor Jomo K.S., Irene Fernandez, Dr. Syed Husin Ali, Dr. Mohamad Nasir, Dr. R.S. McCoy and other leading personalities in the civil society will be present at "The Return of the Legal Eagles" to broaden the forum into an event for the larger civil society to show support and solidarity for  the movement for justice, freedom, democracy and good governance. Dr. Chandra Muzaffar and other leading personalities of the civil society who fully support these causes may also be present at the forum tomorrow.

Tomorrow night�s event, therefore, will be the Malaysian civil society response to the injustice of the Lim Guan Eng case and the larger public issues of justice, freedom, democracy and good governance.

It is proposed that an important declaration on justice, freedom, democracy and good governance in the name of the Malaysian civil society be adopted at the end of the "The Return of the Legal Eagles" tomorrow.

(21/6/98)