00:00Chia Poh Loon, the only Chinese lawyer named in WhatsApp campaign material promoting the
00:07candidacy of 15 Malay members for the Bar Council elections, has denied involvement
00:12in the campaign.
00:13Chia, a former deputy public prosecutor, clarified that he had not given consent for his name
00:20to be used and distanced himself from the race-based group Badan Berkinda Profesional
00:24Muslim, which listed him in its 2025-2026 Bar Council election campaign.
00:31Speaking to FMT, he said he is running independently and was not contacted about being included
00:36in any circulated lists.
00:39However, Chia acknowledged the controversy has sparked attention toward Bar Council elections,
00:45where, historically, many ballots remain unreturned.
00:49He urged all lawyers to vote without fear or favor and to relentlessly defend the independence
00:54of the Malaysian Bar and the supremacy of the federal constitution.
00:59Last week, lawyers expressed concern over the impact of race and religion in the election
01:04campaign, warning that it could compromise professionalism and the Bar Council's stance
01:09against discrimination.
01:11Danish Harjareza, FMT News.
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