| DAP stalwart Karpal Singh today called on leaders of the Bar Council to resign for allegedly bringing the entire legal profession into disrepute. MCPX  The veteran politician and senior lawyer made the call based on two issues - the council's silence on the controversy surrounding newly minted Chief Justice Zaki Azmi and an expensive dinner held at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur in April.
 "I am surprised by the silence of the council on the issue of Zaki having publicly lied in his clarification about being involved in corrupt practices," he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby.
"It is obvious that the Bar Council for reasons best known to itself has chosen to renounce its role as the guardian of public interest by remaining silent on this momentous and great issue which should have been addressed without fear or favour a long time ago," added the Bukit Gelugor MP.
The judiciary's No 1 came under fire after English daily New Straits Times quoted him as confessing to having bribed court staff.
Zaki however issued a clarification later, saying the reporter had misinterpreted him but Karpal insisted that the chief justice was 'lying'.
New form of hospitality
On the dinner hosted by the council and attended by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April, Karpal said it is interesting to note that the bill amounting to more than RM81,000 was footed by the government.
"The government through Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz on Oct 23 admitted this in Parliament. It is difficult to comprehend, how the guest had to foot the bill instead of the host. This is a new form of hospitality concocted by the Bar Council!
"To make matters worse, the bill was settled not through BN or Umno funds, but rather public funds. But the upshot is still why the Bar Council placed itself in a position of indebtedness to the executive while claiming time and again that it is independent," said Karpal, who himself is a member of the Malaysian Bar.
"In my view, the Bar Council has brought ignominy not only on itself but its 13,000 members ... the Bar Council cannot anymore operate on a high moral ground.
"And I call upon the Bar Council committee to tender their resignations for bringing the entire legal profession into disrepute," he added. [Full report to follow] | 
