Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has reprimanded the Malaysian Bar over its recent 'Walk for Justice' in Putrajaya, saying it should have anticipated the repercussions of its public protest against the state of the judiciary.

Giving a delayed keynote address at a dinner yesterday in conjunction with the 14th Malaysian Law conference in Kuala Lumpur, Abdullah said the public protest would have given rise to negative impressions.

"(The) demonstration gives the impression that a problem has reached an intractable impasse, even when in reality, it has not. I believe it has not," he told some 500 lawyers and their guests.

"(It also sends negative vibes to domestic and foreign investors, undermining the tireless efforts of industry and government in attracting investments (...) the creation of negative perception, through over-reaching and unfounded public accusations, is difficult to overcome.

"Even on its own, these damaging perceptions can potentially be all that it will take for us to fall behind other countries in this increasingly competitive global environment."

On Sept 26, 2,000 lawyers had marched from the Palace of Justice to the PM's department and two memoranda were handed to Abdullah's political secretary Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.

The memoranda called for a Royal commission of inquiry to be set up to examine the claims made in the scandalous 'Lingam tape' and into the state of the judiciary, as well as for the establishment of a judicial appointments commission.

The premier told the Bar president S Ambiga that he was prepared to meet Bar Council office bearers privately in due time to discuss the memoranda.

"I know the memo took so long (to reach me) and all the lawyers waited in the rain at my office. We will have a chat, Ambiga, you and your committee. I do not think I would (meet) anybody else in the room. I think it would be better to be alone (with the committee)," he said.

'Advice' for Bar

Abdullah also said that the Bar should make a stand for the country as a whole and not for any internal pressure groups or its members.

"For instance, when the Bar Council officially supports dissenting judgments or pushes forward its view that Malaysia is a secular state, (it) must take care to not simply represent the views of certain segments of society.

"Any miscalculations in this regard could drive deeper wedges between the different groups in the country (and) open the Bar Council to accusations of causing greater damage, not only to (itself) as a professional body, but also to the country."

The premier pointed out that, while his government is "more tolerant" of issues being openly discussed in the mass media, there is no such thing as absolute freedom of speech.

"Of late, this has focused on a number of very public reports that have questioned the efficiency of government, such as wastage in the civil service as reported by the (2006) Auditor-General's Report.

"(O)ther issues, including that of a video clip where a lawyer is allegedly and inappropriately discussing judicial appointments, are pursued by journalists and bloggers with much intensity and in much depth.

"Nevertheless (...) reality requires a responsible and democratically elected government to set a limit to freedom of speech. There is too much at stake, more so in a young, multi-racial, multi-religious country like ours."

Abdullah also said the legal fraternity should not be "irrationally negative or unduly pessimistic about the progress the country has made" and urged the Bar Council to play its role in recognising fundamental liberties and basic human rights.

The premier had been scheduled to address the conference at the opening ceremony yesterday morning, but cancelled this at the eleventh hour in order to officiate the launch of the East Coast Economic Region project in Terengganu.

Other prominent guests at the dinner were de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz, Court of Appeal president Abdul Hamid Mohamad and Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting.

However, Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim - one of the key figures at the centre of the Lingam tape scandal - did not attend the function.

The three-day conference ends tomorrow.