Why stop at alcohol ban at Bar events?

AFP pic.

By Gerard Lourdesamy

I have read lawyer Amir Bahari’s motion to ban the serving of alcohol at Malaysian Bar events, which he proposes to table at the 72nd annual general meeting (AGM) of the Malaysian Bar this Saturday.

His motion was widely reported in news portals.

I welcome his sincerity and perseverance. Amir will be greatly rewarded for his piety.

I must say that Amir’s motion demands serious attention from the Malaysian Bar given that alcohol consumption, even in moderation, has serious health risks apart from the propensity to put others in danger through drink driving and violent or anti-social behaviour while being inebriated and uninhibited.

Of course, you have the religious and cultural arguments as well.

Having read his motion, I propose that Amir take it further by also requiring the following at all Bar functions:

1. A ban on smoking
2. A ban on revealing clothes
3. A ban on singing and dancing except all-male “nasyid” performances.
4. Prayer recitation at the beginning and end of the function.

Perhaps he will allow me or others to propose the relevant amendments to his motion at the AGM.

It is often said that more excitement can be had at an autopsy than at the Malaysian Bar AGM. But Amir has always striven to make these occasions lively and hilarious.

In future, the Legal Qualifying Board and the Bar Council, when dealing with admissions to the Malaysian Bar, ought to take into consideration the reality that some of our law graduates are better suited for admission to the Afghanistan Bar rather than the Bar of a multiracial and multi-religious country like ours.

Gerard Lourdesamy is a lawyer and an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.