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SHOCKING!

Friday, 27 October 2006 07:00pm

Survey by the National Young Lawyers’ Committee

The Committee has just requisitioned a survey on working conditions of the Bar which may be found here in Bahasa Malaysia and English.

We are seeking important information on various aspects of practice including income, working hours, work/life balance, career advancement prospects, involvement in Bar activities, pro bono work, continuing professional development and levels of work satisfaction at the Bar.

It is done on a confidential basis with no names asked to be given, and we hope to receive at least 4000 replies from the whole country broken down roughly as follows:

Kuala Lumpur – 1670
Selangor – 600
Johor – 450
Penang – 400
Perak – 300
Negeri Sembilan – 100
Kedah – 100
Pahang – 100
Malacca – 100
Kelantan – 100
Terengganu – 70
Perlis – 10

Recently, it has come to our attention that the submission of the survey forms by lawyers has been made subject to prior review and approval by their respective employers.

This may be viewed positively in that the employer cares to encourage their employees to return the forms, and would like to obtain feedback from their employees.

On the other hand, the hazard in this practice is to stifle honest input by members.

As lawyers, we should allow our fellow members at the Bar the right (and not merely a privilege) to exercise their free choice by expressing their views through a simple survey.

We sincerely hope that this reported incident is isolated, and we wish that all members who fill the survey forms are transparent.

Whilst employers may have good intentions attempting to understand what may be on their young practitioners’ minds, we urge patience and await the results of the survey.

Alternatively, discussions between employers and employees on working conditions should properly be held at internal review sessions.

This incident reinforces the Committee’s view that such a survey is a much needed innovation which has been long overdue for the Bar.

So what keeps you from doing your part now? Spare a little bit of your time and together, we may just better the future of the Bar.

We accept survey forms by post, dispatch, courier, fax (03-20261313/20342825/20725818, attention: Ms Lynette Tan) or email (lynette.tan@malaysianbar.org.my).