CLP exams to be abolished (Malaysiakini)

De facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim said the Certificate of Legal Pratice (CLP) will be abolished and replaced with the Common Bar Course (CBC) and Common Bar Examination (CBE).The Legal Profession Qualifying Board is working on various measures in this direction and a thorough study of the implementation of the CBC is in its final stage, he said.

At a press conference in the Parliament lobby today, Zaid said details will be revealed in two months after the CBC committee - set up to conduct the study - completes its report. “This is part of efforts to improve the (standard of) legal practice,” he replied, when asked if this is part of the judicial reforms he had pledged upon assuming office in March.

Zaid had called the press conference to explain a parliamentary written reply he had issued to Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) today. Karpal asked whether the government plans to scrap the CLP, which was implemented in 1984.Passing the CLP is a compulsory pre-requirement for graduates with a Bachelor of Laws degree from universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and certain universities in Australia and New Zealand.

The examination is conducted once a year. Candidates are examined on general aspects of law, civil procedure, criminal procedure, evidence and professional practice.Once the government replaces the CLP with CBE - now used to examine students in UK who want to be barristers - it will standardise the requirement for both local and overseas law graduates. Students have long complained of the high rate of failure in the CLP examination, for which a strict quota of passes is set each year.

The CLP has also been tarnished by a scandal, where question papers were found to have been sold to students six years ago. Allegations also arose late last year that there is a bumiputra quota set aside for passes but the claim was denied by the Legal Professional Qualifying Board.

'Enhancing quality'

Elaborating on the CBC committee, Zaid said it is led by an in-house consultant-cum-adviser appointed by the board.It comprises representatives of the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Bar Council and Malaysian Qualification Agency as well as a senior lawyer.“The CBC and CBE will be managed by a non-profit organisation that will supported by the government,” the minister stated in his written reply to Karpal.Zaid also noted that the CBC committee has been advised to follow the model of the Bar Vocational Course in the United Kingdom.

He added that local universities have agreed to be part of the implementation of the CBC course.The minister said the government will make a further announcement when the study is completed.“When the CBE is (implemented), it will ensure a uniform standard which will enhance the quality of legal practitioners, whether in the public or private sectors,” Zaid added in the reply.There are currently about 13,000 lawyers in the country.