KUALA LUMPUR – In its mission to uphold the course of justice, it appears the Malaysian Bar will proceed to re-establish closer ties with the nation’s legal institutions.
Speaking to The Vibes, its president Karen Cheah hopes that the statutory body could restore its relationship with the judiciary and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) post-pandemic.
“In the last two years, every sector has been restricted from each other. A lot of our meetings have been limited to virtual means, which does not have the same feel as physical ones,” Cheah said.
But it is not only the judiciary and the AGC that the Malaysian Bar hopes to re-establish relationships with, but with police, civil society organisations and foreign bars in other jurisdictions as well.
Regarding the Malaysian Bar’s relationships with their peers abroad, Cheah points to the potential untapped market overseas for local lawyers here.
Given that amendments were made to the Legal Profession Act 1976 in 2012 that allowed foreign lawyers to enter the Malaysian market, it is high time for local lawyers to do the same.
We see our legal profession liberalised to allow foreign law firms and lawyers to enter Malaysia.
“Our firms and lawyers are at par with their peers abroad and this is not appreciated, so we need to market our lawyers outside Malaysia.
“Hopefully, we would be able to work with foreign bars, whichever jurisdictions that can welcome Malaysian lawyers,” Cheah said.
Malaysian lawyers slow to adopt tech
One way to ensure Malaysian lawyers’ marketability in the international arena is to ensure increased tech use within the local legal industry.
However, as Cheah points out, Malaysian lawyers are slow to adopt tech into their practice.
Fortunately, the pandemic and the series of lockdowns that came along with it have forced lawyers to make use of technology within their practice.
Singapore had a blueprint for law firms and the use of tech 10 years ago, but we have yet to adopt one within our country.
“But the pandemic has pushed us into adopting tech whether we like it or not,” Cheah said.
Additionally, it was also pointed out that the Malaysian Bar was in communication with the International Trade and Industry Ministry and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation over funding to enhance the use of tech in law firms.
So far, during the previous Malaysian Bar’s Annual General Meeting, a resolution was passed to provide legal research products to all their members in the profession.
Now, lawyers have access to legal research products at affordable prices, which Cheah contends would ease the profession’s work.
“Long term, we hope it will increase and improve the quality and standards of the profession.
“In a whole ecosystem, at the end of the day, it is their clients who would benefit,” Cheah added.
Different president, different national issues
With a duty to uphold the course of justice and the rule of law, the Malaysian Bar at times does provide an opinion on matters considered to be of public interest.
Each president would have to tackle different issues depending on when they take office, and in Cheah’s case, the matters of public interest are related to the upcoming general election.
“Today’s environment and climate are all about elections.
“So, we would definitely have to focus on the anti-hopping law, and we think that to amend the federal constitution would see a situation where it’s open to abuse and restricts freedom of association.
We think that the proposed amendment to Article 10 for an anti-hopping law is not necessary,” Karen said.
Besides anti-hopping laws, the looming general election could also see the Malaysian Bar pushing for reforms with regard to laws related to political funding – particularly the declaration of assets by cabinet members, MPs and assemblymen.
Cheah says such a law would be required to ensure the assets that politicians hold do not have elements of corruption and bribery.
“These are all interconnected to the general elections which we know may be coming soon, so we have no choice but to pay attention and speak out against any exploitation,” Cheah added. – The Vibes, April 25, 2022
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