CONCERNED LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE or CLJ is a civil movement consisting of lawyers and non-lawyers alike who are concerned for the state of the Malaysian nation.

The impetus for the formation of CLJ can be traced back to the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Malaysian Bar on 19 September 2023 held at Dewan San Choon, Wisma MCA, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. The said EGM was convened to pass a motion calling for the abolition of the Sedition Act 1948 and to organize a walk against the Act. The call for the abolition of this Act was the latest in a series of preventive laws that had hitherto been repealed namely the Banishment Act 1959, the Restricted Residence Act 1933, the Internal Security Act 1960 and the Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969. The repeal of these laws responsible for the general peace and well-being of the nation as well as the supremacy of the Federal Constitution that enshrines in law the social contract existing between the various diverse communities living therein was a wake-up call.

Certain lawyers, totaling 13 in all, came to the realization that if no action was taken, the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia they know and love might soon become obsolete.

The rest, as they say, is history. Attended and voted against the motions presented at the EGM, these 13 did, and spoke up against the motions presented before the EGM. However, noting that these efforts would not suffice, and cognizant of the need to continue the fight against forces who wish to dislodge our basic law from the apex of our society, these 13 dissenters decided to organize, exercise their right to associate under Article 10(1) of the Constitution and launch a new civil movement to protect the same, and thus CLJ was born.

The principles and objectives of CLJ include the following:-

• that the Federal Constitution, by virtue of Article 4(1) thereof, is the supreme law and underpins the grundnorm of the Malaysian society;

• that certain provisions of the Federal Constitution namely Article 3 (Religion of the Federation), Article 14 (Citizenship by operation of law), Article 152 (National Language of the Federation), Article 153 (Special Position of the Malays and other Indigenous Peoples) and Article 181 (Sovereignty of the Rulers) define and constitute the core values and form the basic structure upon which Malaysia is based;

• that certain segments of Malaysian society have, of late, seen it fit to question and procure the alternation, by unlawful and illegal means, of those Constitutional provisions or question and procure the alternation or abolition of laws enacted for the protection of such Constitutional provisions, in defiance of the social contract underpinning the existence of such Constitutional provisions; and

• that as such and in lieu of the above, there exists a pressing need for the Malaysian lawyers in particular, and Malaysians in general, to preserve and protect the Federal Constitution by uniting in defence of those Constitutional provisions, and to otherwise ensure the continued existence of those Constitutional provisions by way of education and dissemination of information as to the importance of those Constitutional provisions.

CLJ welcomes and will work with any organization and individuals of any creed or calling who agree with and subscribe to the principles and objectives set out above.

CLJ is presently concentrating on producing articles and write-ups to gain a foothold in the minds of the rakyat. CLJ also invites members of the Malaysian public who share the same sentiments to come forward and write in support of the above objectives. All articles will be credited to the author.

Future events of CLJ include the organization of awareness programmes, workshops, publications et cetera in support of our stated principles and objectives. In the meantime we welcome individuals who share our goals to join. Enquiries on joining may be forwarded to [email protected]. Articles and other contributions may be submitted at the same e-mail address.

Let us work together for the sake of the nation!