Richard Wee Thiam Seng
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Close the Young Lawyers Committee!? - 2007/09/05 20:10
I refer to Edmund Bon's write up:-
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/content/view/10967/99/
In that write up i wish to refer to one paragraph:-
One gets the basic picture: when the young lawyers are needed, they are everything; when they are not, they divide the Bar. Have the young lawyers been part of this process? Or are the young lawyers inheriting the ‘traditions’ of the Bar?
I cant help but agree with this particular comment. For a long time, I do feel that the word "young lawyers" is sometimes utilised when vote is needed. Of course there are many Bar leaders who genuinely support young lawyers.
Perhaps we should be informed WHO raised this in the Bar Council? WHO asked that this be placed in the Bar Council's agenda? The Young Lawyers ought to know.
The issue of Young Lawyers Committee dividing the Bar is strange to me. Every political organisation in Malaysia has a youth branch. And to add to the list of countries that Bon has referred to as having their own young lawyers Committee; there is in fact an INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF YOUNG LAWYERS. Pls see link below:-
www.aija.org
I've said this before in so many of my earlier write up - that YLC is a platform for younger lawyers to contribute to Bar, within a group of people of like age and like thinking. It is not a committee to divide the Bar.
The YLC has evolved into a major activity committee. Organising Charity Events, Dealing with Working Conditions of younger lawyers, speaking out for issues relating to the Country and Bar - are just some activities that the YLCs have taken up.
In fact this Saturday - KL YLC is conducting for the 3rd year, its annual visits to Universities and Law Colleges, to conduct workshops for the law students. Why do this? KL YLC hopes it will, little by little improve the expectation of the younger members. The KL YLC in 2005 when surveying the expectations of the younger members found that many young lawyers did not expect the profession to be so tough. This expectation then caused these lawyers to enter the profession in a relaxed mode, thinking that they have 'made it' since they are now lawyers. Eventually, the senior lawyers find the younger members to be not up to standard.
What can YLC do? YLC is not involved in the legal education? The workshop was then designed to allow YLC members to meet these law students and talk to them and tell them of the realities of practise. YLC goes out to help manage the expectation of these students, who are now more equipped and mentally prepared for the challenge before them. It is hoped that the revised expectation will spur the new lawyers to work harder and better.
Of course this programme cannot solve the whole problem of young lawyers' standands, but YLC re-acted and try to do what it CAN do.
Now- why am I writing this looooooooooong story about this University Workshops?
I am trying to show you what YLC do.
I am trying to show you how YLC thinks.
I am trying to show you that YLC cares for the future of the Bar.
And this project is just ONE of the MANY other projects that NYLC and many state YLC carry out. What is so wrong with these activities that existence of YLC needs to be reviewed?
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Stephen Tan Ban Cheng
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Re:Close the Young Lawyers Committee!? - 2007/09/06 00:43
My dear Ric Wee
I endorse your call for the Bar Council to name the councillors who want to revisit the debate and decision on young lawyers. Why are these people wasting our time by calling for a review of the status of the NYLC?
Earlier Desmond Ho and I had written in response to what Edmund wrote. I append these at the end.
I confirm and reiterate my confidence that the NYLC is right now supplementing and complementing the work of the Bar Council in harnessing the enthusiasm, efforts and energies of the young lawyers in the cause of our profession.
I challenge these detractors to be "jantan" enough or courageous enough to identify themselves. If you guys believe in what you are doing, stand up and be counted. Otherwise cease and desist. I believe I have buried at least one or more of their number who I shall not name.
Stephen Tan Ban Cheng
LET THE CARAVAN MOVE ON ...
Written by Stephen Tan Ban Cheng on 05 September, 2007 at 18:55 PM
My dear Edmund
The National Young Lawyers' Committee of the Malaysian Bar is doing a good job. Obviously, there will be detractors with their own reasons.
I am more than confident that under your leadership, the committee will supplement and complement the work done by the Bar Council.
Just keep at it and leave the detractors alone to bark like dogs while the caravan moves on to bigger, better and greater things.
I am more than confident that the young lawyers will be able to distinguish between the positiveness of doing something good and noble for our profession, our society and our nation and the negativeness of pouring water on these worthwhile efforts by your band of younag, gallant and enthusiastic lawyers.
"The dogs barked and the caravan moved on," so wrote T.J.S. George in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore. So let the caravan carrying your vision for the future move on ...
STOP AND THINK
Written by Desmond Ho Chee Cheong on 05 September, 2007 at 22:57 PM
When you call yourself old at the age of 12 and young at the age of 72 to show there is no difference when you believe it to be, it does not detract from the fact you have lived for only that long
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Dipendra A/L Harshad Rai
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Re:Close the Young Lawyers Committee!? - 2007/09/06 01:19
Dear Richard,
Thank you for so lucidly stating what the KL Young Lawyers Committee does. I like to think that my committee works for the benefit of the Bar with minimum fuss and fanfare. Just get the job done as efficiently as possible.
I am sad to read that the chair of the NYLC has chosen again to highlight the need to visit the existence of the Young Lawyers Committees (YLC). I honestly thought this issue was laid to rest as the Bar was convinced that there is a need to, not only continue with the YLC, but to provide better support as the NYLC has time and again proven that it has the necessary mettle to champion the issues of the Bar.
I wonder- is there nothing better to be on the agenda of the Bar Council than to discuss this issue? Are some of the council members so vapid and devoid of issues that they have now resorted to reviewing this, just to waste away a Saturday?
To my mind, I think it’s a lack of understanding and knowledge. It is always easy to destroy something that you don’t understand or appreciate or perceive to be a threat. A backward mind works this way.
Maybe it’s the fault of the YLC for not trumpeting its activities at the smallest opportunity. Maybe the YLC should be like some of the card carrying and self promoting individuals, trumpeting, boasting the smallest of activities and high position.
As this matter has been raised at council meetings time and again, I can’t help but wonder if there is a cabal that is hell-bent on closing the YLC down because of their sheer ignorance, prejudice or even out of jealousy. On this score, I am happy that Edmund and you have both set out instances where the YLC has proven itself highly relevant (more so than some of the self proclaimed exalted committees), a fact that should be firmly remembered when the council members deliberate come Saturday.
I am somewhat confident that the right thinking council members will put this issue to an end. After all, many a state bar chairman, office bearers and council members have acknowledged with deep appreciation the activities carried out by the respective state YLCs. This is a fact on record.
Best,
Dipendra
KL Bar YLC Chair
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Ding Chu Teck
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Re:Close the Young Lawyers Committee!? - 2007/09/06 15:04
I am a young lawyer (young as in seniority). I don't really see the need for the formation of Young Lawyers Committee, just like there is no need for setting up lawyers' committees based on ethnicity or gender.
Ding Chu Teck
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Noreen Ahmad Ariff
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Re:Close the Young Lawyers Committee!? - 2007/09/06 19:14
Dear Ding,
Yeah, I agree with you, you are right there is no need to have YLC. There is no need for a country either. We all wish for an egalitarian society and since we are at it, we don’t have to have masters with 7 years of experience either. Anyone can be a master and take a chambering pupil.
As much as you think that there is no need to have YLC, why not see the “NO NEED” of a BAR COUNCIL either. Heck, lets remove everything, lets remove our clothes and live in EDEN.
We are all equal right? No such thing as young or old? Try calling your daddy by his name and since we are equal, lets do away with the traditions of the Bar and lets stop giving sits to senior lawyers.
Are you an LA at your firm Ding, tell your boss to pass you some Federal Court hearings for you to.
Section 46A is a restriction that was removed, not a dividing line that was removed. The fact remains that there are differences between young lawyers and senior lawyers.
A Padawan who thinks he can talk like a Jedi at the Jedi Council is but only a future Darth Vader.
Dearest Ding,
Please go to the committees’ column at this website, click on the National Young Lawyers Committee and read what we have been doing. If you like, you may even attend our meetings. The next meeting is on Friday, 14th September 2007, 4pm, Bar Council. I am inviting you.
Read what we have done and listen to what we planned. After that, convinced everyone why there is no need to have the Young Lawyers Committee.
Noreen Ahmad Ariff
Deputy Chair
National Young Lawyers Commitee
When you cannot speak your mind, speak your heart. :-D |
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Sunil Lopez a/l Ceasar Lopez
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Re:Close the Young Lawyers Committee!? - 2007/09/06 20:07
Dear Ding,
its too late. Someone has apparently already formed a committee called the National Young Lawyers Committee and its apparently chaired by some guy called Edmund Bon. I think what they are talking about now is abolishing the committee, which is, if you ask me, plain ol' crazy talk! Some guy called Richard Wee apparently mentioned that the committee apparently does a fair bit of work and acts as a platform for young lawyers to do something constructive. I think he is right lah. I for one would shy away from any strenuous work if not for my local young lawyers committee.
I don't know if you've checked out your state ylc or not but if you aren't happy with them, you can come over to KL lah. I'll buy you a drink and show you the sights.
Sunil Lopez
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Haji Sulaiman Abdullah
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Re:Close the Young Lawyers Committee!? - 2007/09/06 23:01
Dear Ric Wee,
I am in full agreement with everything you say about the value of the YLC.
Please let me know the time and place for this Saturday's workshop for law students and I will be there to give support to your great efforts.
Carry on, YLC !
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