Shafee’s claim of selective prosecution unfounded, says Bar chief

The Malaysian Bar said that lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee's allegations that he was subject to selective prosecution for professional misconduct was baseless. "The Bar upholds high ethical standards in the legal profession which are applicable to all members without exception," its president Steven Thiru told The Malaysian Insider today. Thiru was responding to Shafee's claim before the Federal Court yesterday after the senior lawyer was cleared for allegedly breaching the publicity rules following an interview with a daily in 2009. Shafee had asked the court to award him RM300,000 in costs to "teach the Bar Council a lesson" in light of the "selective prosecution" against him. Judge Tan Sri Raus Sharif, who led a five-man bench gave Shafee RM50,000 in costs. However, Thiru said he was surprised by the exorbitant costs awarded by the court. "As the Bar is discharging its statutory duties in disciplinary matters in the interest of the public , there should not have been any order of costs," he added. He said the Court of Appeal last year which reversed the decision of the High Court also did not order costs against the council in recognition of its public interest role in the matter. Thiru said the Bar was disappointed with the decision of the apex court. – March 10, 2016.]]>