Umno-linked lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah's suit against the Malaysian Bar, a senior lawyer and a retired Court of Appeal judge will be heard before the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

This follows Justice Asmabi Mohamad's decision today to dismiss the Bar's application to strike out an injunction imposed against them.

"The inter-parte injunction is extended until the disposal of the main suit and the court fix July 20 for case management to set the trial dates," she said in her decision made in chambers.

In arriving to her decision, Justice Asmabi said there are serious issues to be tried, and that Shafee has a right to a fair process under the law to protect his good name and this cannot be done without hearing the full suit.

“The balance of convenience is in the favour of Shafee to maintain his good name and he has the right to be heard,” she said.

Justice Asmabi has made no order as to costs.

This was relate‎d to the reporters by lawyer Hasnal Rezua Merican, who is one of Shafee's counsels ( photo ).

Bar president Steven Thiru ( photo ) said: "While we respect the decision of the court, we are very disappointed by it.

"We will be appealing to the Court of Appeal against the granting of the interim injunction by the High Court."

Shafee filed the suit against the Bar, lawyer Tommy Thomas and former Court of Appeal judge VC George.

Shafee going on a roadshow

Earlier Thomas and George had filed a motion against Shafee for misconduct as a result of going on a roadshow and holding press conferences after the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was convicted of sodomy for the second time.

In their proposed motion, they cited Shafee's actions of holding press conferences criticising Anwar, who as a convicted prisoner cannot respond, as a reason why disciplinary action should be taken against the senior lawyer.

Shafee's actions, they said, violated Rules 5(a), 31, 32, 33 and 49 of the Legal Profession (Practice and Etiquette) Rules 1978.

Rule 5(a) states that a lawyer should not accept a case if he or she cannot be professional, while Rule 31 states lawyers should uphold the dignity of the profession.

A day before the Bar annual general meeting, Shafee filed the suit in naming the then Bar president Christopher Leong, Thomas ( photo ) and George as defendants.

He obtained an ex-parte injunction against the Bar that same day to stop the motion to be tabled at the meeting against him.

Spotlight had fallen on Shafee over his professional conduct after as government-appointed special prosecutor he helped the Attorney-General's Chambers secure a conviction against Anwar.

Following the court victory, Shafee went on a roadshow and publicly disclosed what was purportedly an in-camera evidence from the court case.

Among them included ‘extra’ information where Shafee alleged Anwar had pinched complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's nipple as part of foreplay before the sexual act.

An examination of court transcripts showed no record of this.

The Bar, Thomas and George had also filed a counter-claim against Shafee.