Contempt proceedings against Bar Council president Sulaiman Abdullah will resume tomorrow morning following a request for an adjournment this afternoon.

High Court judge R.K Nathan granted the adjournment after Sulaiman said that he needed time to prepare his explanation and to decide whether to represent himself or engage a counsel on his behalf.

Nathan earlier this morning read out a charge against Sulaiman for having alleged that he (Nathan) had personal interest in hearing the case against the Bar Council as his lawyer son is a member of the Bar.

"You as CEO of Bar Council has admitted that you authorised your counsel to cite the authority, namely Localbail (UK) Ltd v Bayfield Properties Ltd and Another , which suggests that this judge stands to gain some interest out of your reference that his son is a member of the Bar. Unless you give me a satisfactory explanation, I will cite for contempt," he read out the charge.

Nathan then directed Sulaiman to show cause as to why he should not be cited for contempt in the face of the court, before adjourning for lunch.

However, when the court resumed, Sulaiman told the judge that he did not have sufficient time to study the matter and needed more time.

The High Court is hearing an application by lawyer K. Raja Segaran to stop the Bar Council from proceeding with Friday's emergency general meeting.

Raja Segaran yesterday filed a suit seeking a declaration from the High Court that the Bar Council's meeting is illegal, and sought an interim injunction to prevent it from taking place.

The Bar Council is expected to convene an EGM of the Malaysian Bar on Friday with an intention to move a resolution calling for the suspension of Chief Justice Eusoff Chin pending a tribunal or royal commission of inquiry to investigate into allegations of impropriety against him.

Raja Segaran named the Bar Council and its 11 executive committee members, including president Sulaiman Abdullah, vice-president Roy Rajasingham and former presidents R.R. Chelvarajah, Dr Cyrus Das, Raja Aziz Addruse and Hendon Mohamed, as defendants in the lawsuit and is seeking damages, costs and other relief deemed necessary by the court.

When hearing began this morning, one of the lawyers for the Bar Council, Arif Yusof raised three points of preliminary objections, including that judge Nathan "has a son who is a member of the Bar and since the first defendant is the Malaysian Bar, there would be some elements of personal interest".

An angered Nathan then abruptly adjourned the court twice, instructing the counsel and the defendants to give an explanation to the allegation.

Sulaiman, in his capacity as president of the Malaysian Bar, took responsibility for instructing Arif on the matter.

Sulaiman told Nathan that the Malaysian Bar had no intention of making any personal accusations against the judge.

"Our assumption is that every member should attend this EGM. Your son in the natural course would attend the meeting. If Your Lordship does not allow an injunction because your son is a lawyer, or either way Your Lordship's decision would cause public comment, which will not be in favour of the Bar and the judiciary," Sulaiman said.

In response, Nathan lamented, "You don't decide for me. I can make my own decisions. What is my interest if my son is a lawyer? What would I gain or lose for me to hear this case if my son is a lawyer?"

Nathan also told Sulaiman that it is the plaintiff (Raja Segaran) who should grumble since he (Nathan) had a son in the Bar, the judge's decision might be in favour of the Bar.

Meanwhile the hearing for the suit filed by Raja Segaran against the Bar Council and its exco members was adjourned to Thursday morning.

Counsel for the defendants told Nathan that they did not have enough time to prepare for the proceedings.

"The papers were served on our clients only yesterday at 1.25pm. We also believe there is another affidavit served this morning," Arif said.