Shafee in bid to stop motion to debate his conduct at Bar AGM

Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has come under attack from fellow lawyers, who urged the Bar Council to take action against him over his conduct following the conviction of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on February 10. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 13, 2015.

Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has turned to the courts in a bid to stop a motion on his conduct after the sodomy conviction of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from being debated at the Bar Council's AGM tomorrow.

Sources said that Shafee would likely be seeking an ex-parte injunction.

In his application, Shafee named constitutional lawyer Tommy Thomas and former Court of Appeal judge Tan Sri V.C. George, who proposed and seconded the motion respectively, the Malaysian Bar and its president Christopher Leong as respondents.

The case is listed to be heard today at the Kuala Lumpur High Court before judge High Court judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad.

The Malaysian Insider is trying to contact Shafee to confirm this.

Earlier this month, Thomas and George, two senior members of the Malaysian Bar, urged the Bar Council to take action against the Umno lawyer over his conduct in the aftermath of Anwar's conviction at the Federal Court.

They said that from the time the Federal Court convicted Anwar on February 10, Shafee had behaved in a repugnant and obnoxious manner which brought the legal profession into disrepute.

Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah's court date with the Bar Council, as listed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court. – March 13, 2015.In the motion submitted to the Bar Council, the two senior lawyers also urged the incoming council for the 2015-2016 term to lodge a report against Shafee with its  Disciplinary Board.

They said that steps must be taken to further prevent Shafee from bringing the legal profession into disrepute.

Shafee, who was appointed by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to lead the prosecution team in the Sodomy II appeal, was accused of wilfully, and with impunity:

• holding press conferences condemning Anwar who cannot respond as a convicted prisoner serving time;
• drawing attention to his prowess, allegedly as a top rate prosecutor;
• demeaning Anwar and his legal team, and the defence that were relied upon them in court proceedings;
• giving interviews with the traditional and online media on his performance as prosecutor; and
• organising and participating in nationwide roadshows with a political party, with the purpose of insulting a convicted prisoner and for bringing attention to his role in the conviction.

Shafee is no stranger to action by the Bar Council, having once been found guilty of misconduct and fined RM5,000 for advertising himself. His appeal to the High Court was rejected and is now pending in the Court of Appeal.

Shafee was also alleged to have violated the Legal Profession (Publicity) Rules 2001, Rule 5(1)(a)(ii), which prohibits lawyers from publicising themselves or their practice in any manner, "that may reasonably be regarded as being...  in bad taste... sensational, intrusive, offensive or in any other way belittling the dignity of the legal profession".

They also noted that while Shafee is backed by forces of the state, he is not above the law.

- TMI