Outgoing Bar Council chairperson Christopher Leong is to be replaced by vice-chairperson Steven Thiru.

Thiru was chosen as the new chairperson during the Bar Council meeting after its annual general assembly in Kuala Lumpur today.

The new vice-chairperson is George Varughese while Karen Cheah and Fareed Abdul Ghafur are the new secretary and treasurer respectively.

At a press conference to announce the new line-up, Thiru also took the opportunity to comment on the showdown at the Bar Council annual general meeting today.

He re-affirmed the Bar Council's commitment to oppose the Sedition Act but also praised the G100 for moving a motion demanding the Malaysian Bar to reverse its position and support the government's effort instead.

"Occasionally members do not agree with the Bar and the right thing to do is to bring it before the house to debate and for that we commend the members.

"A decision was made and we hope it will be respected by all members," he said.

Bar reiterates opposition to Sedition Act

The motion by G100 was soundly defeated and the AGM passed another motion which reiterated its stance against the Sedition Act.

Thiru also said the Malaysian Bar's opposition to the Sedition Act had nothing to do with race and religion as some dissenting members had suggested.

According to him, the Bar Council shall continue its campaign against the colonial-era law ahead of a plan by the government to strengthen the controversial law.

Asked if the new leadership will take the issue of certain judges being overlooked for promotion, Thiru said this was already an ongoing issue for the Bar Council.

"We have been raising this with the chief justice who has been very open to meeting us and discussing this matter," he said.