Wong Fook Meng
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Penang YLC - 2008/02/22 11:12
A vote against the YLC is a vote against the development and nurturing of young lawyers. Speaking as a former Deputy Chair of the National Young Lawyers Committee, I must say that the YLC platform gives the much needed space and opportunities to groom young lawyers as future leaders, invest in their professional development and engage them to serve the larger interests of the Bar. This is why most Bar associations around the world have YLCs and the importance of the young lawyers movement is one that is universally recognized.
I agree wholeheartedly with what Tuan Haji Sulaiman had so eloquently written in response to the web report on the recent Penang Bar AGM. A young lawyer's life and practice will be enriched beyond measure through wholesome involvement in YLC.
Wong Fook Meng
Malacca
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Haji Sulaiman Abdullah
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Re:Penang YLC - 2008/02/22 12:45
May I add that the International Bar Association is very concerned about the need to nurture young lawyers? Many of the other bars in the world are of the same view as the Penang Bar. To combat this the IBA has set up a special YLC of the IBA. In fact at the October 2007 IBA Conference in Singapore our very own Fahri Azzat gave an excellent presentation at a session organised by the IBA YLC. Several foreign lawyers,including Carmen Pombo, the Chair of the YLC, came up to me to congratulate the Malaysian Bar on how far advanced we were with our YLC and how wonderful to have nurtured such talent as Fahri and Edmund Bon!
I represent the Malaysian Bar at the IBA Bar Issues Commission,BIC, and sit in the BIC Policy Committee. One of the core issues with the BIC is the YLC development in all jurisdictions. I certainly intend to speak up strongly at the BIC and push the Malysian Bar YLC Project as one worthy of emulatiion, particularly,by developing bars which generally look up to the Malaysian Bar.
I appeal to my colleagues in Penang to embrace the future of the Bar.
HAJI SULAIMAN ABDULLAH
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Ng Chung Yee
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Re:Penang YLC - 2008/02/22 12:50
There are many issues that only relates to young lawyers and this is their platform for contribution to the bar, why stifle them? Of course the this would only invite remarks that the rest of committees are open for contribution.
State YLC is not a strange creature to the legal profession. There are ample examples in other jurisdictions of the real need to have a committee for the young lawyers as the issues are varied and relevant only to a juniour lawyer's practice.
I echo my fellow colleague, Fook Meng's call for the establishment of YL Committee. It is indeed an awkward position to deny young lawyers that wish to channel their energy and contribution through YL's Committee. Instead, they should be welcomed with open arms.
Ng Chung Yee
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Dipendra A/L Harshad Rai
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Re:Penang YLC - 2008/02/22 13:59
Fook Meng,
I cannot agree with you more. I have also read Tuan Hj Sulaiman's piece on the need for a young lawyers committee and it does put a lot of things in perspective. I am glad that the IBA has recognised this need to nuture young lawyers.
I am saddened by the decision of the Penang Bar. I am even sadder that a such a motion was even put to vote in the 1st place. There was something of the night about putting this motion on the agenda.
With the highest of respect to Dato Sitham, I feel that his logic in not having a young lawyers committee is somewhat callow. The ones who are dividing the Bar are really the recalcitrant lawyers who will not stop, at every conceivable opportunity, to pull ranks and assert themselves.
The restriction of section 46A has always been one of election not division. Forming a young lawyers committee has nothing to do section 46A and vice versa. I dare say a lot of younger members of the bar now feel a sense of belonging in the Bar with the young lawyers committee around. That, to me, is sufficient reason to carry out the good work done by the NYLC and the respective state YLCs, Penang and Negeri Sembilan notwithstanding.
It is very easy to rubbish and to ruin but very difficult to build. It takes courage, vision and patience to build.
It is for this reason that I am glad that Dato Sitham did not seek re-election into the BC. As the YLC moves forward, it could do with a lot less unproductive comments and more concrete suggestions on moving forward and contributing positively for the benefit of the Bar and the nation. I can only that the incoming committee of the Penang Bar reconsiders its position.
Bona Fide
Dipendra
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Richard Wee Thiam Seng
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Re:Penang YLC - 2008/02/22 19:18
We must first recognize and acknowledge the democratic decision at Penang Bar's AGM on the issue of a YLC at that State Bar. The members inside the Ballroom at Bayview Hotel that day have decided, and respect that decision, we must.
I however wish to refer to an excerpt of Dato Sitham's speech where he said:-
"Dato' Sitham also said that there should be no discrimination between senior lawyers and young lawyers and all lawyers could in fact serve the Bar, irrespective of their age or years in practice."
I reply to that comment accordingly:-
1. Having a YLC is no way an indication or a reflection of a discrimination. It's a Committee of activities and projects. Membership is open to all, but the target group is admittedly, the younger group.
2. I am supportive of Committees and Societies in the Bar, which have healthy activities with benevolent intentions. One such Society is the Catholic Lawyers Society (CLS).
I wish to first state that in no way am I suggesting the closure of the CLS or even try to compare a small committee like YLC; to a huge and prestigious Society like CLS. All I am trying to show here is where we have a Society which caters to only one group of lawyers. However, i take cognizance that CLS is an independent body outside the Bar, and members will likely say to me that it's not a divisive Society but a representative Society.
Another example, but this time a Committee within the Bar, is the Syariah Committee. Again, in my view, nothing wrong with this Committee, event though many lawyers will find difficulty serving this Committee,if one does not practise Syariah Laws.
It seems to me we have Societies and Committees where it is clear that some lawyers just cannot join that Society/Committee, but this seems acceptable. Having a YLC on the other hand, apparently shows a discrimination between senior lawyers and young lawyers.
The MEMBERSHIP of NYLC/YLC is not limited to lawyers below the age of 40. This has been repeated many times in this website. The MEMBERSHIP of NYLC/YLC is opened to any lawyers. So if (for example) Tuan Haji Sulaiman or even Dato Sitham wish to be a member of the YLC or even chair the YLC, why not?? (particularly if the majority of the members votes him to be one).
The TARGET GROUP that the YLC is targeting to represent? Now this is where YLC will target a specific group, ie :_
a. Lawyers below 7 years in practise, OR
b. age below 40.
regards,
richard wee
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Kenny Lai Choe Ken
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Re:Penang YLC - 2008/02/24 19:49
Dear Members,
I agree with all those who have written before me. I would just like to state that the YLC and the NYLC is for me a way to get the younger members to take part in the Bar activities and get involved in the Bar as a whole. Like Fook Meng and Richard I was also a deputy chair of the NYLC and I speak from my own experience and from what I see.
For the most part, the younger members of the bar are afraid to get involved, they will neglected to a certain extent. They do not know how to interact with people. Or to some, they simply cannot be bothered.
The YLC and NYLC helps them take part. They should be able to see the relevance of the activities that is organised. I believe it helps young lawyers feel relevant in todays Bar.
A good example of how this has translated in real time would be to see the various state committees now. A huge number of young lawyers have stepped up and taken part. They have run for election and got themselves elected into the state committees. Doesn't this tell you something?
I'm tired of all this nonsense about dividing the bar. We have never advocated nor have we pushed any programme that advocates it. Every single activity that the NYLC or the YLC has done has been to integrate the young and old... to bridge the divide. But unfortunately the detractors have as usual said otherwise. Show me how we have divided the young and old? I issue that challenge... and I believe my brothers and sisters who believe in the YLC and the NYLC will rise up to prove you wrong.
yours faithfully,
Kenny Lai Choe Ken
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Abdul Fareed Bin Abdul Gafoor
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Re:Penang YLC - 2008/02/27 11:42
‘Tis the time to make choices. Incidentally the various Bar Committees are also having their elections this time around.
It appears that the Penang Bar has somewhat become the sore thumb of the Malaysian Bar with regards to YLC. Numerous postings appeared from people who were not present during the AGM. Statements were made without having known what actually transpired during the AGM vis-à-vis the YLC.
I think it is only fair that I put the records straight to allay any concern that the issue was deliberated high-handedly.
At the outset the Chairman explained that it is up to the members to decide whether they wanted the YLC or not and the State Bar would abide by the decision. After repeatedly asking members to speak up on the issue, there were about 5 or 6 speakers who spoke at both sides of the divide, giving their reasons for and against.
The members of the Penang spoke very loudly, clearly and overwhelmingly that they do not want the YLC. So our wishes must be respected, no matter how bitter it is. It was done democratically. A process which the Malaysian Bar has always been propagating and something the members hold to and belief in. To ridicule the decision of the Penang Bar smacks of the inability of some of our peers to accept diverse views and thus attempting to stifle our wishes.
Furthermore the decision to set up state YLC was only the BC’s decision. It was never passed as a resolution during the AGM. Even if it was passed during the AGM, as an advocate of legal aid, I am yet to see the BC acting on a resolution passed by the AGM many years ago that every lawyer has to take up at least one legal aid matter a year. Why has it not been enforced?
Further, to single out Dato’ Sitham for his views is totally unjustified. Dipendra remark:‘It is for this reason that I am glad that Dato Sitham did not seek re-election into the BC’ is uncalled for and tantamount to ridiculing a fellow member of the Bar who has contributed tremendously towards the state and National Bar.
In conclusion let us all move on respecting diverse opinions. One may have strong views about certain issues but others might not share the same. Anyway, Penang Bar’s decision is not cast in stone. Who knows if persuaded further, they might wise up and accept the YLC in the future.
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