“This time, the Bar is in the wrong!” Art wrote on his Facebook.
He said it was not proper for the Bar to raise its opposition to Raus’s reappointment as the chief justice when the matter was a court case.
“It would have been awkward indeed. And disrespectful,” said Art.
The Bar Council president, the attorney-general and the chief justice will traditionally address the OLY every year.
The format of the ceremony was however changed, excluding Bar president George Varughese as one of the speakers. This was after Varughese insisted on raising the reappointments of two top judicial officers, including Raus.
“We said it is improper, but they insisted and we had to change the format (to let only the CJ speak at the event),” Raus told reporters after opening the event, renamed the Judicial Year.
The event was also attended by former Bar presidents Ragunath Kesavan and Lim Chee Wee.
Earlier, the Bar held its own OLY at a private club in Kuala Lumpur.
Art said he agreed with Raus’s decision not to invite Varughese.
“The event is a formal event, officiated by the Chief Justice. And here we are criticising the CJ and making arguments about his appointment when in fact there is already a court case pending on that issue!
“That being the case, I think it was right for Tun Raus not to invite the BC President and consequentially, the Attorney-General,” said Art.
Last year, Putrajaya announced that Raus would remain in office for another three years from Aug 4, while Court of Appeal (COA) president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin for another two years from Sept 28.
Both were scheduled to retire on Aug 3 and Sept 27 respectively upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 66 years plus six months.
The Bar said the move was unconstitutional and has challenged it in court.
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