KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 ― A bomb threat was greeted with derision at the Malaysian Bar's extraordinary general meeting (EGM), with lawyers dismissing the warning and proceeding to decide if they will march for the repeal of the Sedition Act 1948.

Lawyer Edmund Bon said the meeting was still going on and that the police are scanning the hall at Wisma MCA now.

“We laughed it off,” Bon told Malay Mail Online today.

Bon, who is at the EGM, said the announcement on the bomb was made via an anonymous phone call.

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The police left the hall at 4.35pm after clearing the area.

According to Bon, there were almost 1,000 lawyers at the EGM or double the quorum.

Two motions are being debated at the EGM.

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The first is the Bar Council's motion calling for the abolition of the Sedition Act, the withdrawal of all pending charges under the colonial-era law, a suspension of the use of the law and for the Act not to be recast into a new law.

The second is a motion moved by lawyer New Sin Yew ― which was seconded by 121 lawyers including retired Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram ― that calls for the Bar Council to organise a peaceful protest for the repeal of the colonial era law.

At least 20 people have been caught up in an ongoing sedition dragnet, including opposition lawmakers, student activists, lawyers, Muslim preachers, an academic and a journalist, sparking criticisms that the law was being abused by the government to quell dissent.