The government will breach international principles of the role of lawyers if it blacklists law firms with links to electoral watchdog Bersih, says Lawyers for Liberty.

This is especially if it precludes firms whose lawyers have represented Bersih on matters from providing services to the government and government-linked companies.

Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen said it breaches the "cab-rank rule" and United Nations Basic Principles of the Role of Lawyers.

The cab-rank rule states that a barrister is obliged to accept any work in a field in which they profess themselves competent to practice, in a court at which they normally appear, and at their usual rates, without prejudice.

Section 19 of the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers states "lawyers cannot be identified with their clients or their clients' causes as a result of discharging their functions".

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan (photo) said yesterday the government is looking at blacklisting law firms linked to Bersih from providing services to government or government-linked companies.

Rahman, who is in charge of the Economic Planning Unit, had before this instructed the Private-Public Partnership Unit to vet all firms seeking government contracts to see if they back Bersih.

'Highly-insecure government'

Paulsen said the move by the government is "highly inappropriate" and "irrational".

"Such witch hunting reflects badly upon the government, showing it to be one that is highly insecure and taking things personally, when it should be more professional.

"Such an irrational consideration can surely be challenged, should the minister proceed to appoint or remove law firms based on their political support," Paulsen told Malaysiakini.

He added that lawyers are appointed not on the basis of political alliances but on their competence, expertise and fees.

Firms that will be mostly affected by such a blacklist, he said, would be those on GLC panels.

The blacklist announcement comes in the lead-up to the Bersih 5 rally in Kuala Lumpur, slated to be held on Nov 19.

Bersih is demanding clean government, clean elections, the strengthening of Parliament, empowerment of Sabah and Sarawak and the right to dissent.

However, Rahman accused Bersih of being partisan and sabotaging the national economy, as well as wanting to topple a democratically-elected government.

He said the law firm blacklist could include firms whose partners and owners financially support and provide services to Bersih or are part of the Bersih leadership.

Last year, lawyer Matthias Chang was arrested and charged for economic sabotage after he accompanied his client Khairuddin Abu Hassan to lodge complaints on 1MDB to foreign authorities, prompting an outcry from the Malaysian Bar.