Legal representation, a sacred right

A week ago, the Penang High Court released Penang executive councillor Phee Boon Poh and two other men, who were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) from a remand order by the magistrate’s court.

Judicial Commissioner Abdul Wahab Mohamed of the Penang High Court found that the remand order had contravened Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code as the lawyers acting for all three men were not allowed to make submissions at the magistrate’s court during the remand hearing. As such, the judge held that the three men were denied the natural justice of being heard before they were remanded.