Senior lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan today says the government has been blacklisting law firms that support Bersih for some time now.

This was only made official by Minister of the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan who had instructed government-linked-companies to do so, she said.

"The threats to blacklist companies and firms come as no surprise. It is nothing new.

"They are merely making public what we believe their practice has been for some time," she said in a statement today.

"Furthermore, what does it say about the independence of our GLCs that a minister can call the shots on who they should enter into contracts with?" she asked.

Ambiga, who is currently representing Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah in her bid in court to quash the Immigration Department's travel ban against her, seemed unfazed by the intimidation.

Rahman said yesterday the government was looking at blacklisting law firms linked to Bersih from providing services to GLCs.

He had instructed the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and Private-Public Partnership Unit (Ukas) to vet all firms seeking government contracts to see if they back Bersih.

Senior lawyer Honey Tan, who acted for Maria when she was charged with failure to notify the police on Bersih 4 rally, said she would not cut ties with Bersih.

"Lawyers who act on behalf of Bersih and their leaders are made of much sterner stuff," she told Malaysiakini.

"If anything at all, it strengthens our resolve to stand up for everyone's right for freedom of assembly, association, speech and opinion," she said.

Both Tan and her law firm were not appointed as legal adviser for GLCs. She doesn't feel like her livelihood is at stake just because of the minister's remark.

“Advocates and solicitors are governed by the Legal Profession Act 1976. We are to uphold the cause of justice without regard to our own interests, uninfluenced by fear or favour.

”It will just shame the government if the minister's threat is carried out. It will confirm to the world at large that the government is a bully.

"After the proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act 1976, this is yet another one of its tactics to make inroads into our independence," she said.

She also reminded that such incident would be included in the 3rd universal periodic review (UPR) by the UN Human Rights Council.

Rahman uttered an improper remark

Meanwhile, lawyer New Sin Yew opined that Rahman had uttered an improper remark.

"Article 16 of the United Nations Basic Principle on the Role of Lawyers requires the government to ensure that lawyers are not threatened with prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any actions taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics," he said.

"It was improper for the minister to have made such threats as it undermines our functions as lawyers," he added.

"As lawyers, we have an obligation to accept any brief in which we profess to practice. This obligation is known as the cab-rank rule," he added.

Without this rule, he said, those who are undesirable may not receive legal representation and access to legal representation is a fundamental right.

A lawyer who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the government planned to cut off the legal support rendered to the electoral movement with such threat.

"It is not going to work as not all lawyers are working as legal advisers to the GLCs," he said.

"You cannot penalise a law firm or lawyer for performing their duty," said the lawyer who once did work for Bersih.

In her statement, Ambiga further slammed the "bully boy" tactics adopted by ministers who persistently acted in defiance of the rakyat’s constitutional rights and who seemed to ignore the fact that we have a Peaceful Assembly Act.

"They do not even seem to be aware that in the latest amendments to the Sedition Act, the government removed the provision that criticism of itself has a seditious tendency," she said.

"These ministers who have chosen to turn on Bersih, do so despite being knee high in the muck and mud of the 1MDB scandal," she added.

"Where did their bully boy tactics go in the face of the grand heist of the people’s money?" she asked.

"I can only say that these actions reek of diversionary tactics," she said, adding that the arrogance of power demonstrated by some of the ministers only underscored the crying need for a new breed leaders in the country.

"Bersih has always persevered no matter what the threats are, thanks to the massive support of the Malaysian people who are intent on saving this country."