Wednesday May 14, 2008 MYT 4:31:50 PM
CLP to be scrapped, says Zaid
By ROYCE CHEAH
KUALA LUMPUR: The Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP) will soon be scrapped in favour of the Common Bar Course (CBC) and Common Bar Exam (CBE), Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.
Citing that a study by a committee appointed by the Legal Qualifying Board (LQB) on how to implement the move was in its final stages, Zaid said the goal was to standardise and improve the quality of law practitioners.
"The CBC and CBE will be mandatory for anyone who wants to practise law, whether they are local or foreign graduates."
Zaid however would not speculate on whether the CBC and CBE would be the only prerequisite before a graduate is called to the Bar or whether chambering would continue.
"The course and exam will be overseen by a non-profit organisation supported by the Government."
Zaid, who was speaking to reporters Wednesday at the Parliament lobby, was expanding on a written reply to Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh's question on whether the Government had plans to abolish the CLP and what it would be replaced with.
He added that views from the Attorney-General's chambers, Bar Council, Malaysia Qualification Agency and universities were also being sought by the committee.
"The LQB has also advised the committee to look into the possibility of local universities already offering law degrees to also offer the CBC considering they have the infrastructure.
"I know this issue has been going on for a long time and that questions had been raised by students and parents. As such, we are moving forward to implement what has been discussed."
When asked if the move was due to complaints by CLP students over the low pass rate, Zaid said he did not want to discuss that but was more concerned about executing what was planned.
He added the report on the study would be ready in a number of months and that it was part of his responsibility as law minister to improve the current situation.
News Poll
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Girl and stepmum held over bid to kill first wife
- Biggest karaoke session a blast
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Teoh’s body exhumed for second autopsy today
- Victim’s dad nabs kidnapper
- Puad faces flak over ‘use Bahasa only’ remark
- Foreigner falls to her death from condominium
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- Joy for 2,500 housebuyers as SPNB takes over project
- Johor set to be a medical hub
- Indonesia seizes ammonium nitrate shipment from Malaysia
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Same stock, different folk
- It’s still hard to forgive
- Southern sore still needs to heal
- Weapons drawn for new battle
- Draw valuable, life-saving lessons from tragedies
- Lots of smoke and hot air but little bite
RSS
