Kenyataan Malaysian Bar : Adakah Ganesan Speaker Haram Menipu?

Press Release: Membership status of Dato’ Ganesan a/l Retanam

A news report in the Malaysian Insider seems to suggest that the Bar Council issued conflicting letters in relation to the membership status of Dato’ Ganesan a/l Retanam. The following sequence of relevant events should clarify this matter:

1.	On 11 August 2009, the Bar Council received an official request from Chan Kok Keong of M/s Chan & Associates vide the Bar Council Search Form seeking confirmation on the membership status of Dato’ Ganesan a/l Retanam as at 11 August 2009.

2.	On 12 August 2009, the Bar Council, after checking its records, confirmed that Dato’ Ganesan was in active practice as at 11 August 2009 and was in possession of a valid Sijil Annual and Practising Certificate.
3.	On 13 August 2009, the Bar Council received a fax from Dato’ Ganesan dated 6 August 2009 notifying the Bar Council that he had ceased practice “from the date of 6 August 2009”.
4.	On 17 August 2009, Dato’ Ganesan filed his Notice of Cessation of Practice as an Advocate and Solicitor together with a statutory declaration affirmed on 17 August 2009.
5.	On 17 August 2009, the Bar Council acknowledged receipt of Dato’ Ganesan’s letter dated 6 August 2009 and his Notice of Cessation and Statutory Declaration dated 17 August 2009.

The Bar Council did not, at any time, issue conflicting letters in relation to the membership status of Dato’ Ganesan. All the aforementioned letters were issued based on information that we had in our records at the material time.


George Varughese
Secretary
Malaysian Bar

24 August 2009