KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan has called on the government to tackle the issue of low passing rates for the Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP).
"The CLP's low pass rates, which range between 10% to 20%, pose a significant challenge for law students in Malaysia," he said during the Budget 2025 debate at the policy stage in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Oct 24).
Takiyuddin (PN-Kota Bahru) questioned whether the government is content with the administration of the CLP by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB), which has overseen the examination for 40 years.
"What steps will the government take in response to the LPQB regarding its low passing rates?" he added.
Law graduates from overseas, notably from the United Kingdom and Australia, are required to pass the CLP in order to practice law in Malaysia.
Reports from 2023 showed a full pass rate of 34%, with 439 candidates succeeding out of 1,297. The pass rate was 30% in 2022 and only 17% in 2021. For the current year, 200 candidates have achieved a full pass.
The Star has reached out to the LPQB for this year's pass rate but has not yet received a reply.