KUALA LUMPUR (June 11): Oppressive laws in Malaysia may be seeing their final days with Tommy Thomas as the Attorney-General, opined Bar Council president George Varughese. 

Speaking to the media after a meeting with the Attorney-General today, Varughese expressed belief the latter is “agreeable” to look into the Bar Council’s suggestion to repeal certain acts, as the nation undergoes a much-needed legal reform. 

This includes the Sedition Act 1948, Anti-Fake News Act 2018, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and the National Security Council (NSC) Act 2016, Varughese said. 

“I believe he is [agreeable to repeal those acts]. 

“In fact, for example, he did indicate that the Anti-Fake News Act will definitely be appealed. But he was agreeable to look at all our proposals,” Varughese said. 

The Bar Council has previously submitted a proposal to the Committee on Institutional Reforms to repeal the acts mentioned above, with amendments for several others.  

One of the suggestions by the Attorney-General was to have a great repeal act to repeal them at one go, Varughese added. 

In a related matter, Varughese said the Bar has also provided additional suggestion in light of the impending changes that will occur on many acts as the national legal reform goes underway.  

“We in fact are proposing that there should be an independent law commission to look into the coming up of new acts or amending acts,” Varughese said.  

However, he said the meeting did not touch on the composition of the law commission. “It is a lot of broad-based suggestion at the moment,” he added.