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Admission - Qualifying as an Advocate and Solicitor The provisions governing admission and qualifications for admission to the Malaysian Bar can be found in Sections 10 - 19 of the Legal Profession Act 1976 (the Act) and the Notifications made from time to time under section 3 thereof. In any event, all decisions regarding the recognition of qualifications for the purposes of admission come under the jurisdiction of the Qualifying Board which is established under Part II of the Act. The Board has issued several guidelines for admission. Legal Profession Professional Qualifying Board, Malaysia Introduction Legal Profession Qualifying Board of Malaysia (the Board) was established under the Part II of the Act. One of the functions of the Board is to decide on the qualifications which may entitle a person to become a "qualified person" within the meaning of section 3 of the Act for purposes of Admission as an advocate and solicitor in Malaysia. "Qualified person" means any person who: | | a. | has passed the final examination leading to the degree of Bachelor of Laws of the University of Malaya, the University Malaya in Singapore, the University of Singapore or the National University of Singapore; | | b. | is a barrister-at-law of England; or | | c. | is in possession of such other qualification as may by notification in the Gazette be declared by the Board to be sufficient to make a person a qualified person for the purpose of the Act. |
Qualifications for admission to the Malaysian Bar Under sections 10 and 11 of the Act and subject to section 14 of the Act, a "qualified person" may be admitted as an advocate and solicitor in Malaysia if he/she satisfies the following conditions: | | a. | he / she attained the age of eighteen years; | | b. | is of good character; | | c. | is either a Federal citizen or a permanent resident of Malaysia; | | d. | has satisfactorily served in Malaysia the prescribed period of pupillage for qualified persons: and | | e. | as from 1st January 1984, has passed or is exempted from the Bahasa Malaysia Qualifying Examination conducted by the Board. |
Bahasa Malaysia Qualifying Examination By virtue of section 5(f) and 11(2) of the Act, the Board is granted the powers to conduct and organise the Bahasa Malaysia Qualifying Examination (BMQE). This examination consists of an oral test on the proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia for admission to the Malaysian Bar. For applicants who are able to provide proof of their proficiency the Board grants exemptions to such applicants.
Membership of Board By virtue of section 7 of the Act, the Board consists of: | | a. | the Attorney General who is the Chairman; | | b. | two judges nominated by the Chief Justice; | | c. | the Chairman of the Bar Council; and | | d. | a Dean of the Faculty of Law nominated by the Minister of Education. |
Apart from the persons mentioned above, the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court is the Secretary to the Board. The Board is further granted powers to appoint other officers and staff to perform its day to day functions. The CLP Examination is headed by the Director of Examinations appointed by the Board. THE BMQE is conducted by the special panel appointed by the Board.
The office of the Board The office of the Board is located at: Legal Profession Qualifying Board Malaysia,
27th Floor,
Menara Tun Razak
Jalan Raja Laut,
50350 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (603) - 2691 0054
Fax: (603) - 2691 1042 List of Universities and Qualifications recognised in Malaysia Country Institutions and Qualifications
| Malaysia |
| 1. | Universiti Malaya Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 2. | Qualifying Board CLP | | | 3 | Institut Teknologi MARA ADIL | | | 4 | International Islamic University Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 5 | Universiti Kebangsaan Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | | | Singapore | | | 1. | University of Singapore Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 2. | National University of Singapore Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 3 | University of Malaya in Singapore Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | | | United Kingdom | | | 1. | The Inner Temple Barrister-at-Law | | | 2. | The Middle Temple Barrister-at-Law | | | 3. | Gray's Inn Barrister-at-Law | | | 4. | Lincoln's Inn Barrister-at-Law | | | 5. | The Law Society Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Judicature England | | | | | Australia* | | | 1. | Australian National University Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 2. | University of Sydney Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 3. | University of Adelaide Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 4. | Monash University Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 5. | University of Melbourne Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 6. | University of Western Australia Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 7. | Macquarie University Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 8. | University of New South Wales Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 9. | University of Queensland Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 10. | University of Tasmania Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 11. | University of Technology, Sydney Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 12. | Bond University, Queensland Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 13. | Murdoch University Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 14. | Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | | | New Zealand* | | | 1. | University of Auckland Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 2. | University of Centerbury Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 3. | Victoria University of Wellington Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 4. | University of Otago Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | 5. | University of Waikato Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) | | | | | Ireland | | | 1. | King's Inn, Dublin Barrister-at-Law |
* Note: In the cases of Australian and New Zealand degrees listed above, apart from having to pass the final examination leading to the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree, the graduate must also satisfy additional requirements as prescribed in the relevant Gazette.
Notifications made under section 3 of the Legal Profession Act 1976.
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Circular No 297/2008
