More professional bodies should speak up against issues plaguing the country, urged former Malaysian Bar president Ragunath Kesavan.

“It is important for professional bodies to stand up, speak up. It need not be a situation where you are against the government, (but) if it is, so be it,” he said.

He said this during his presentation in a session titled ‘Developing a Dialog Rakyat Code of Ethical Conduct’, as part of a conference by Dialog Rakyat for national cohesion and unity at Persatuan Alumni Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur today.