Dang Wangi police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya said an investigation has been opened into the Malaysian Bar’s initial plan to walk from the Padang Merbok car park to Parliament to voice their dissatisfaction over “intimidation” directed at the judiciary.

“All individuals involved in the gathering will be called to give a statement at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, to assist in the investigation,” he said.

Noor Dellhan added that the investigation was opened under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) and the Prevention And Control Of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Areas) (National Recovery Plan) (Transition Phase to Endemic) Regulations 2022.

He said around 220 people had gathered at the venue, and that they comprised Bar members as well as “known and unknown” individuals.

Among those present were former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, former Dewan Rakyat speaker Ariff Md Yusof, former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan, and MPs from DAP, PKR and Muda.

The march did not go ahead after failing to get police approval, with a police barricade formed at both ends of the Padang Merbok car park to prevent the lawyers from marching.

Deputy law minister Mas Ermieyati Samsudin then met the group at Padang Merbok to accept a memorandum from Bar president Karen Cheah. The memorandum called for Putrajaya to uphold judicial independence and, if necessary, make the law clearer on the matter.

Mas Ermieyati said she would hand the memorandum over to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.