A government spokesperson claimed that lawyer Shafee, who conducted the case against Anwar Ibrahim in the place of any government lawyer, was only paid RM1000 for that work. Was he then doing the government a favour by replacing all of their permanent and pensionable lawyers as prosecutor?

No explanation has been offered for this extraordinary substitution and none will be. It can only be explained as a corrupt action by arch thief Najib, desperate to put his main political opponent in prison. And to add insult to injury Najib is now trying to pretend that Shafee did this task for less than he would charge for a brief consultation?

Once more it is the clear duty of the Bar Council to require Shafee to explain his conduct in this case. Or be disbarred, as he clearly should be.

The Council cannot do much to clear the name of the profession, sullied by judicial misconduct, until a new Government, among other things, appoints a Royal Commission of Enquiry into the Malaysian bench as a whole. But it can skewer Shafee and should do so. He is a public disgrace to the profession.