Contributed by Mazni Ibrahim, Officer, with photos by Adi Irman, Administrative Assistant, Bar Council
Seven notaries from Russia visited Bar Council on 19 Oct 2010 to exchange knowledge and share experiences relating to their profession. The delegation was received by Bar Council’s Deputy CEO, Chin Oy Sim, together with three Members of the Bar, S Ravichandran, Ashfar Ali and Leong Chiew Keong, all of whom are notaries public.
After brief welcome remarks by Oy Sim, Ravichandran started off the session by explaining succinctly the pre–requisites for an advocate and solicitor to be admitted as a notary public in Malaysia, such as having been in practice for 15 years, and the process involved. Ashfar and Chiew Keong highlighted other aspects of the profession in Malaysia, and related their experiences as notaries.
The delegation described how notaries used to be employed by the Russian government and served as civil servants, but the profession has now been privatised. Russian notaries do not practise as lawyers and vice versa, unlike in Malaysia, where notaries must be lawyers with valid Practising Certificates. From the delegation’s account, it appears that the bulk of the work undertaken by notaries in Russia is carried out by our Members of the Bar, not all of whom are notaries public.
Oy Sim mentioned that a delegation of Saudi notaries had visited Bar Council in June 2010. She pointed out that Russian and Saudi notaries share similarities in their scope of work, as notaries are a separate professional category from lawyers in both countries. One clear difference, however, is that Saudi notaries are employed by the Ministry of Justice, and provide their services to the public without charge.
An interpreter who accompanied the delegation facilitated the lively discussion, during which many comparisons were made regarding the profession and the practitioners in the two countries. The visit concluded with both parties expressing their appreciation for the exchange of information and the insights gained during the discussion.
The delegation described how notaries used to be employed by the Russian government and served as civil servants, but the profession has now been privatised. Russian notaries do not practise as lawyers and vice versa, unlike in Malaysia, where notaries must be lawyers with valid Practising Certificates. From the delegation’s account, it appears that the bulk of the work undertaken by notaries in Russia is carried out by our Members of the Bar, not all of whom are notaries public.
Oy Sim mentioned that a delegation of Saudi notaries had visited Bar Council in June 2010. She pointed out that Russian and Saudi notaries share similarities in their scope of work, as notaries are a separate professional category from lawyers in both countries. One clear difference, however, is that Saudi notaries are employed by the Ministry of Justice, and provide their services to the public without charge.
An interpreter who accompanied the delegation facilitated the lively discussion, during which many comparisons were made regarding the profession and the practitioners in the two countries. The visit concluded with both parties expressing their appreciation for the exchange of information and the insights gained during the discussion.