POST 6 - Malaysian Bar: Law programmes may not be law-abiding

Published by ©The Star Newspapers on January 4, 2013

PETALING JAYA: Law degrees offered by some educational institutions have not been recognised by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board.

The Malaysian Bar said it has received reports that some institutions have said their programmes will be recognised by the board in “a matter of time” and will have retrospective effect, when in reality, there was no such assurance.

“Such schools may be accredited with the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, but mere accreditation is not adequate to satisfy the applicable criteria where entry into the legal profession is concerned,” said Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee.

“These institutions must still seek the approval of the Board for their law programmes,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He also urged those who intend to pursue a law degree to verify with the Board the status of the educational institution and law programme.

For Universiti Utara Malaysia and Multimedia University students who enrolled before the 2009/2010 intake, Lim said the Board had stipulated that their graduates could be admitted to the Bar, provided they successfully undergo additional training courses in drafting of pleadings, opinion writing, and conveyancing practice.

He said the graduates are also required to attend lectures, complete assignments and secure passing grades in the assessment exercises.

“No such provision has been made for other non-recognised law programmes,” he said.

He added the Board's evaluation team recently reviewed Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin's law programme and will decide whether and how their law graduates would be eligible to join the legal profession. (the emphasis is mine)

Lim called on the Bar, the Attorney-General's Chambers, the judiciary, Malaysian Corporate Counsel Association, the public and private law schools to work together to review legal education in the country.

SOURCE: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/01/04/Bar-Law-programmes-may-not-be-lawabiding.aspx

ALSO CITED HERE: http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/legal/general_news/bar_law_programmes_may_not_be_law_abiding.html

BAHASA MALAYSIA TRANSLATION (via Google Translate) 

Badan Peguam Malaysia: Program Undang-undang mungkin tidak mematuhi syarat

PETALING JAYA: Ijazah undang-undang yang ditawarkan oleh beberapa institusi pendidikan tidak diiktiraf oleh Lembaga Kelayakan Profesion Undang-Undang (LKPUU).

Badan Peguam Malaysia berkata ia telah menerima laporan bahawa beberapa institusi telah berkata program mereka akan diiktiraf oleh lembaga dan hanya "menunggu masa" sahaja dan akan mempunyai kesan retrospektif, apabila pada hakikatnya, tidak ada jaminan tersebut.

"Universiti itu boleh ditauliahkan dengan Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia, tetapi akreditasi semata-mata tidak mencukupi untuk memenuhi kriteria berkenaan kemasukan ke dalam profesion undang-undang," kata Presiden Majlis Peguam Malaysia, Lim Chee Wee.

"Institusi-institusi ini masih perlu mendapatkan kelulusan Lembaga bagi program undang-undang mereka," kata beliau dalam satu kenyataan hari ini.

Beliau juga menggesa mereka yang berhasrat untuk menyambung pengajian ijazah undang-undang untuk mengesahkan dengan Lembaga status institusi pendidikan dan program undang-undang.

Untuk Universiti Utara Malaysia dan pelajar Universiti Multimedia yang mendaftar sebelum pengambilan 2009/2010, Lim berkata Lembaga Pengarah telah menetapkan bahawa graduan mereka boleh dimasukkan ke dalam Bar, dengan syarat mereka berjaya menjalani kursus latihan tambahan dalam penggubalan pliding, menulis pendapat, dan conveyancing amalan.

Beliau berkata, graduan juga perlu menghadiri kuliah, tugasan yang lengkap dan mendapat gred lulus dalam latihan penilaian.

"Tidak ada apa-apa peruntukan telah dibuat bagi program undang-undang lain," katanya.

Beliau berkata pasukan penilaian Lembaga baru-baru ini telah mengkaji program undang-undang Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin dan akan menentukan sama ada dan bagaimana graduan undang-undang mereka akan layak untuk menyertai profesion undang-undang.

Lim menggesa Bar, Jabatan Peguam Negara, badan kehakiman, Persatuan Peguam Korporat Malaysia, institusi undang-undang awam dan swasta untuk bekerja bersama-sama untuk mengkaji pendidikan undang-undang di negara ini.

POST 5 - Bar Council Press Release: Verify Status of Law Programmes before Applying for Admission

Published by the © Bar Council on 03 January 2013

The Malaysian Bar is concerned that students who intend to pursue a law degree locally may not be aware that some educational institutions are offering law programmes that are not recognised by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (“LPQB”). 

LPQB is the body tasked to prescribe the qualifications that would entitle an individual to become a “qualified person” within the meaning of the Legal Profession Act 1976, for the purpose of admission as an advocate and solicitor in Malaysia.  As such, only graduates with law degrees that are recognised by LPQB will be able to enter the legal profession in Malaysia.  Details regarding the qualifications recognised for entry are available on the LPQB website, at http://www.lpqb.org.my.

However, a worrying trend has developed, whereby a number of educational institutions in Malaysia offer law programmes that are not recognised by LPQB.  Moreover, these institutions may not have disclosed to its students, or to applicants, that upon graduation, they will not be permitted to practise law in the country.  Such schools may be accredited with the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, but mere accreditation is not adequate to satisfy the applicable criteria, where entry into the legal profession is concerned.  These institutions must still seek the approval of LPQB for their law programmes.

With respect to Multimedia University (“MMU”) (for students who enrolled prior to the 2009/2010 intake), and Universiti Utara Malaysia (“UUM”), LPQB has stipulated that their law graduates can qualify to be admitted to the Bar, provided they successfully undergo additional training courses in drafting of pleadings, opinion writing, and conveyancing practice.  The graduates are required to attend lectures, complete assignments and secure passing grades in the assessment exercises.  No such provision has been made for other non-recognised law programmes.

LPQB’s evaluation team recently reviewed Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (“UniSZA”)’s law programme, and LPQB will decide whether, and how, its law graduates will be eligible to join our legal profession. (the emphasize is mine)

Regrettably, Bar Council has received reports that some educational institutions are providing misleading information to the public, by contending that recognition of their law programme by LPQB is “just a matter of time” and will have retrospective effect, when there is, in reality, no such assurance. (the emphasize is mine)(from some intelligence that I have received, this statement was directed to UniSZA)

It is now the opportune moment for all stakeholders — the Bar, Attorney General’s Chambers, Judiciary, Malaysian Corporate Counsel Association, and public as well as private law schools — to work together to review the state of legal education in Malaysia and determine what can be done to improve our standards, bearing in mind the standards of excellent centres of legal education in other jurisdictions.

The Malaysian Bar strongly urges all individuals who intend to pursue a law degree to verify with LPQB the status of the educational institution and law programme of their choice.

Lim Chee Wee

President

Malaysian Bar 

SOURCE: http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_verify_status_of_law_programmes_before_applying_for_admission.html

BAHASA MALAYSIA TRANSLATION (via Google Translate) 

Sidang Media Majlis Peguam Malaysia: Sahkan Status Program Undang-undang sebelum Memohon Kemasukan

Majlis Peguam Malaysia risau mengenai pelajar-pelajar yang ingin melanjutkan ijazah undang-undang tempatan mungkin tidak sedar bahawa sesetengah institusi pendidikan yang menawarkan program undang-undang yang tidak diiktiraf oleh Profesion Undang-Undang Lembaga Kelayakan ("LPQB").

LPQB adalah badan yang ditugaskan untuk menetapkan kelayakan yang akan memberi hak kepada individu untuk menjadi "orang yang berkelayakan" dalam pengertian Akta Profesion Undang-Undang 1976, bagi tujuan kemasukan sebagai peguam bela dan peguam cara di Malaysia. Oleh itu, graduan hanya dengan ijazah undang-undang yang diiktiraf oleh LPQB akan dapat untuk memasuki profesion undang-undang di Malaysia. Butir-butir mengenai kelayakan yang diiktiraf bagi kemasukan boleh didapati di laman web LPQB, pada http://www.lpqb.org.my.

Walau bagaimanapun, satu trend yang membimbangkan, di mana beberapa institusi pendidikan di Malaysia menawarkan program undang-undang yang tidak diiktiraf oleh LPQB. Selain itu, institusi-institusi ini mungkin tidak dedahkan kepada pelajar, atau pemohon, bahawa selepas tamat pengajian, mereka tidak akan dibenarkan untuk mengamalkan undang-undang di negara ini. Universiti itu mungkin telah diiktiraf oleh Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia (MQA), tetapi semata-mata akreditasi ini sahaja tidak mencukupi untuk memenuhi kriteria LPQB. Institusi-institusi ini masih perlu mendapatkan kelulusan LPQB untuk program undang-undang mereka.

Berkenaan dengan Universiti Multimedia ("MMU") (untuk pelajar yang mendaftar sebelum pengambilan 2009/2010), dan Universiti Utara Malaysia ("UUM"), LPQB telah menetapkan bahawa graduan undang-undang mereka layak untuk dimasukkan ke dalam Bar, dengan syarat mereka berjaya menjalani kursus-kursus tambahan latihan dalam penggubalan pliding, menulis pendapat, dan amalan conveyancing. Para graduan dikehendaki menghadiri kuliah, tugasan yang lengkap dan lulus dalam latihan penilaian. Tiada apa-apa peruntukan telah dibuat bagi program undang-undang bukan lain.

Pasukan penilaian LPQB baru-baru ini mengkaji semula program undang-undang Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin ("UniSZA"), dan LPQB akan memutuskan sama ada, dan bagaimana, graduan undang-undang mereka akan layak untuk menyertai profesion undang-undang kita.

Malangnya, Majlis Peguam telah menerima laporan bahawa beberapa institusi pendidikan yang menyediakan maklumat yang mengelirukan kepada orang ramai, dengan menyatakan bahawa pengiktirafan program undang-undang mereka dengan LPQB adalah "hanya menunggu masa" untuk diiktiraf dan akan mempunyai kesan retrospektif, namun pada hakikatnya, tiada jaminan seperti itu.

Kini masa yang sesuai bagi semua pihak yang berkepentingan - Bar, Jabatan Peguam Negara, Badan Kehakiman, Persatuan Peguam Korporat Malaysia, dan orang ramai serta fakulti undang-undang swasta - untuk bekerja bersama-sama untuk mengkaji semula keadaan pendidikan undang-undang di Malaysia dan menentukan apa yang boleh dilakukan untuk meningkatkan piawaian kami, dengan mengambil kira standard pendidikan undang-undang di negara-negara lain.

Majlis Peguam Malaysia menggesa semua individu yang berhasrat untuk menyambung pengajian ijazah undang-undang untuk mengesahkan dengan LPQB status institusi pendidikan dan program undang-undang pilihan mereka.

Lim Chee Wee

Presiden

Peguam Malaysia

POST 4 - Visit by LPQB Evaluation Committee Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, UniSZA

Published by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board, Malaysia ("LPQB") in November 2012

Lawatan Jawatankuasa Penilaian Lembaga Kelayakan Profesion Undang-Undang (LKPUU), Malaysia ke UniSZA pada 3 hingga 6 November 2012.

SOURCE: http://www.lpqb.org.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=175:lawatan-penilaian-di-universiti-sultan-zainal-abidin-unisza-3-6-nov-2012&catid=20:photo-gallery&AG_MK=0&AG_form_paginInitPages_175=4&AG_form_albumInitFolders_175=photogallery/Lawatan%20Penilaian%20UniSZA&AG_form_scrollTop=266&AG_form_scrollLeft=0&AG_MK=0

POST 3 - UniSZA usaha dapat pengiktirafan Lembaga Kelayakan Undang-Undang (LKPUU) bagi lepasan FUHA

Published by © Berita Harian Newspapers on February 24, 2012

TRANSLATION OF THE TITLE: "UniSZA is working on getting the recognition (of LL.B course) from the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) on behalf of the students of Faculty of Law (FUHA)"

*It is unfortunate that the complete reading of the published material above is not possible. Feel free to contact me if you have any information regarding this material.

*In a nutshell, the material above concerns the response from the Dean of the Law Faculty regarding the issue of LPQB recognition raised by one of the former students of the Faculty.

RELEVANT SOURCE: "Pengiktirafan : Perlu ke ‘golongan bising’? -Siri 1-" at http://absarlegal.wordpress.com/2011/10/22/pengiktirafan-perlu-ke-golongan-bising/

POST 2 - UniSZA law degree still undergoing recognition process

Published by ©The Star Newspapers on July 26, 2012

 A REPLY to the “Why is UniSZA law course not recognised by the Bar?” (The Star, July 23).

There are some points which are inaccurate and misleading.

The law degree of UniSZA was first offered in the 2006/2007 academic session. It is a four-year programme and thus, the first batch completed it at the end of the 2009/2010 academic session.

It is the youngest law faculty in Malaysia and accordingly has to undergo the accreditation and recognition processes for its law degree programme.

Such accreditation and recognition does not come automatically, but the faculty has to show and prove that the law degree offered by the faculty has achieved the standards required.

Accreditation from the Malaysian Qualifying Board (MQA) is a pre-requisite for recognition by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB). The professional recognition is from LPQB and not the Bar Council per se, though the president of the Bar Council is a member of LPQB. The accreditation process by MQA can only be finalised upon completion of the first batch of graduates of the programme.

The rationale being to allow MQA and LPQB to properly and validly assess and evaluate the programme and the products of the programme, i.e. the students and graduates.

The collection of information and documents for the purpose of obtaining the accreditation and recognition by MQA and LPQB respectively have been made since 2006, when the programme was first initiated, whereby file courses of each academic session, its students’ profile and other information, since its inception in 2006 were compiled and coordinated.

The groundwork involved visits to other universities, internal evaluation of legal professionals, workshops and seminars, with the view to prepare for the accreditation and recognition exercises.

UniSZA obtained its accreditation for the law degree programme from MQA in July, 2010.

The faculty then proceeded to apply for recognition of the law degree programme by the professional body, LPQB.

The faculty has submitted all documentation required to LPQB and is currently waiting for the evaluation visit to be done.

The visit has to be planned and arranged and may involve more than 20 evaluators including senior members of the Bar, the judiciary, academicians and the Attorney- General’s Chambers, to evaluate the programme, the resources and the law degree students.

The tentative date for the evaluation is November 2012 when the law degree students are in for the 2012/2013 academic session.

Thus, the comment that the law degree programme is not recognised is somewhat inaccurate when the programme is still undergoing the recognition process.

The stringent process to obtain accreditation from MQA and recognition from LPQB would in turn benefit the students, as they can be sure that the programme has achieved the required standards.

In respect of career prospects, whilst we admit that currently our graduates cannot be advocates and solicitors until the programme is recognised by LPQB, the law degree from UniSZA has been recognised by the Public Service Department to be at par with other degrees.

Thus, it must be emphasised that a student who graduates with a law degree from UniSZA can obtain a profession similar to that of other degree graduates.

To date, UniSZA has graduates who work in financial institutions, higher academic institutions and corporate institutions, among others.

MOHD FUAD HUSAINI

DEAN, FACULTY OF LAW AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

UNIVERSITY SULTAN ZAINAL ABIDIN

SOURCE: http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=%2f2012%2f7%2f26%2ffocus%2f11730145

OTHER SOURCES:

1. http://app.mohe.gov.my/skp/suratpengarang.php?id=125
2. http://bpa.bernama.com/details.php?id=3423

BAHASA MALAYSIA TRANSLATION (via Google Translate)

Program ijazah undang-undang masih menjalani proses pengiktirafan

JAWAPAN balas kepada surat "Mengapa kursus undang-undang UniSZA tidak diiktiraf oleh Peguam?" (The Star, 23 Julai).

Terdapat beberapa perkara yang tidak tepat dan mengelirukan.

Ijazah undang-undang UniSZA mula-mula ditawarkan pada sesi 2006/2007 akademik. Ia merupakan satu program empat tahun dan dengan itu, kumpulan pertama selesai pada penghujung sesi akademik 2009/2010.

Ia adalah program undang-undang fakulti termuda di Malaysia dan telah menjalani akreditasi dan pengiktirafan proses untuk program ijazah undang-undang.

Akreditasi dan pengiktirafan itu tidak datang secara automatik, tetapi fakulti telah menunjukkan dan membuktikan bahawa ijazah undang-undang yang ditawarkan oleh fakulti telah mencapai standard yang dikehendaki.

Akreditasi daripada Lembaga Kelayakan Malaysia (MQA) adalah satu pra-syarat untuk pengiktirafan oleh Profesion Undang-Undang Lembaga Kelayakan (LPQB). Pengiktirafan profesional daripada LPQB dan bukannya Majlis Peguam, walaupun presiden Majlis Peguam adalah ahli LPQB. Proses akreditasi oleh MQA hanya boleh dimuktamadkan apabila selesai kumpulan pertama graduan program ini.

Rasional adalah untuk membolehkan MQA dan LPQB dengan betul dan sah dan menilai program dan produk program ini, iaitu para pelajar dan graduan.

Pengumpulan maklumat dan dokumen bagi tujuan mendapatkan akreditasi dan pengiktirafan oleh MQA dan LPQB masing-masing telah dibuat sejak tahun 2006, apabila program telah dimulakan, di mana kursus fail setiap sesi akademik, profil pelajar dan maklumat lain, kerana penubuhannya pada tahun 2006 telah disusun dan diselaraskan.

Asas yang terlibat melawat ke universiti lain, penilaian dalaman profesional undang-undang, bengkel dan seminar, dengan tujuan untuk menyediakan akreditasi dan pengiktirafan latihan.

UniSZA diperolehi akreditasi untuk program ijazah undang-undang dari MQA pada bulan Julai, 2010.

Fakulti kemudiannya memohon untuk pengiktirafan program ijazah undang-undang oleh badan profesional, LPQB.

Fakulti ini telah mengemukakan semua dokumen yang diperlukan untuk LPQB dan sedang menunggu penilaian melawat dilakukan.

Lawatan itu telah dirancang dan disusun dan mungkin melibatkan lebih daripada 20 penilai termasuk ahli-ahli kanan Peguam, badan kehakiman, ahli akademik dan Jabatan Peguam Negara, untuk menilai program ini, sumber-sumber dan pelajar ijazah undang-undang.

Tarikh tentatif untuk penilaian adalah November 2012 apabila pelajar ijazah undang-undang berada dalam untuk sesi 2012/2013 akademik.

Oleh itu, komen bahawa program ijazah undang-undang tidak diiktiraf adalah agak tidak tepat apabila program ini masih menjalani proses pengiktirafan.

Proses yang ketat untuk mendapatkan akreditasi daripada MQA dan pengiktirafan daripada LPQB seterusnya akan memberi manfaat kepada pelajar, kerana mereka boleh memastikan bahawa program ini telah mencapai standard yang dikehendaki.

Bagi prospek kerjaya, sementara kita mengakui yang kini graduan kita tidak boleh menjadi peguam bela dan peguam cara sehingga program yang diiktiraf oleh LPQB, ijazah undang-undang dari UniSZA telah diiktiraf oleh Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam untuk menjadi setanding dengan ijazah yang lain.

Oleh itu, ia perlu ditekankan bahawa pelajar yang bergraduan dengan ijazah undang-undang dari UniSZA boleh mendapatkan profesion yang sama dengan graduan ijazah lain.

Sehingga kini, UniSZA mempunyai graduan yang bekerja di institusi kewangan, institusi akademik yang lebih tinggi dan institusi korporat, antara lain.

MOHD FUAD HUSAINI
DEKAN, FAKULTI UNDANG-UNDANG DAN HUBUNGAN ANTARABANGSA
UNIVERSITI SULTAN ZAINAL ABIDIN 

POST 1 - Why is UniSZA law course not recognised by the Bar?

Published by ©The Star Newspapers on July 23, 2012

IN the results of admission to public universities released recently, my daughter was offered a place to study law at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA).

I was quite happy at first but my daughter cried the whole day. I was shocked by her reaction, as I had always thought that a law qualification was desirable.

So as a mother I asked her about her sadness. Was the university campus too far for her to leave home? It is situated in Kuala Terengganu.

Her answer gave me much thought and pause. She said after checking the results through the official website, she was told that the course was not recognised by the Bar Council.

She immediately checked the official websites of the Bar Council and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. It was found that the course was only accredited and recognised by the MQA but not the Bar Council.

That means my daughter cannot do her chambering directly upon her graduation. I don’t really understand why a situation like this can happen.

Other public universities such as UM, UKM and UUM offering the same four-year programme have been recognised by the Bar Council and their graduates do not have to sit for a Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP). Why can’t UniSZA be the same?

We respect the placement arranged by the authorities, but why isn’t every student graduating from the public universities be treated the same? I thought the Government was striving hard to enhance the quality of public universities?

My daughter is very worried about her future now. As a mother, I can do nothing but to comfort her feelings.

If this phenomenon persists, there will be more and more complaints each year as most students will give priority to renowned universities like UM and UKM, as they lack confidence in other public universities. Then there will be reports of excellent students not obtaining their preferred courses and universities.

I believe the quality of all local universities is good. So, please take some concrete measures to ensure that public universities are treated and considered equitably.

WONG LEE KUAN

Penang

SOURCE: http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=%2f2012%2f7%2f23%2ffocus%2f11712210&sec=focus

 

BAHASA MALAYSIA TRANSLATION (via Google Translate)

Mengapa kursus undang-undang UniSZA tidak diiktiraf oleh Peguam?

DALAM keputusan kemasukan ke universiti-universiti awam yang dikeluarkan baru-baru ini, anak perempuan saya telah ditawarkan tempat untuk belajar undang-undang di Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA).

Saya agak gembira pada mulanya tetapi anak perempuan saya menangis sepanjang hari. Saya terkejut dengan reaksi beliau, kerana saya sentiasa memikirkan bahawa kelayakan undang-undang adalah wajar.

Jadi sebagai seorang ibu saya ditanya tentang kesedihan beliau. Telah kampus universiti terlalu jauh untuk dia meninggalkan rumah? Ia terletak di Kuala Terengganu.

Jawapannya memberikan saya banyak berfikir dan berhenti seketika. Beliau berkata selepas memeriksa keputusan melalui laman web rasmi, dia diberitahu bahawa kursus itu tidak diiktiraf oleh Majlis Peguam.

Dia segera memeriksa laman web rasmi Majlis Peguam dan Agensi Kelayakan Malaysia. Ia telah mendapati bahawa kursus itu hanya diiktiraf dan diiktiraf oleh MQA tetapi tidak Majlis Peguam.

Ini bermakna anak perempuan saya tidak boleh lakukan dalam kamar beliau secara langsung selepas tamat pengajian beliau. Saya tidak faham mengapa keadaan seperti ini boleh berlaku.

Universiti-universiti awam yang lain seperti UM, UKM dan UUM menawarkan program yang sama empat tahun telah diiktiraf oleh Majlis Peguam dan graduan mereka tidak perlu menduduki Sijil Amalan Guaman (CLP). Mengapa tidak boleh UniSZA sama?

Kami menghormati penempatan diatur oleh pihak berkuasa, tetapi mengapa tidak setiap pelajar menamatkan pengajian di universiti-universiti awam dirawat yang sama? Saya fikir kerajaan telah berusaha keras untuk meningkatkan kualiti universiti awam?

Anak perempuan saya adalah sangat bimbang tentang masa depan dia sekarang. Sebagai seorang ibu, saya boleh berbuat apa-apa tetapi untuk menenangkan perasaannya.

Jika fenomena ini berterusan, akan ada lebih banyak aduan setiap tahun kerana kebanyakan pelajar akan memberi keutamaan kepada universiti-universiti terkenal seperti UM dan UKM, kerana mereka tidak mempunyai keyakinan di universiti-universiti awam yang lain. Kemudian akan ada laporan pelajar cemerlang tidak mendapat kursus pilihan dan universiti mereka.

Saya percaya kualiti semua universiti-universiti tempatan adalah baik. Jadi, sila ambil langkah-langkah konkrit untuk memastikan bahawa universiti awam dilayan dan dianggap adil.

WONG LEE KUAN

Pulau Pinang