Circular No 005/2019
Dated 10 Jan 2019
To Members of the Malaysian Bar
We refer to Circular No 174/2018 dated 17 July 2018, entitled “Invitation to Provide Feedback Regarding Revamp to the Legal Profession Act 1976”, and Circular No 280/2018 dated 19 Nov 2018, entitled “Invitation to Provide Feedback on Proposed Revised Legal Profession Act 1976”.
In these two circulars, we had informed Members of the Bar that during a meeting with the Attorney General, the Bar Council raised the issue of the need for amendments to the Legal Profession Act 1976 (“LPA”).
In light of the numerous amendments to the LPA that were proposed by the Bar Council, the Attorney General requested that the Bar Council submit a proposed new Act to the Attorney General’s Chambers.
In July 2018, Members were invited to provide feedback regarding provisions that, in their view, should be amended in, or added to, the proposed new Act.
The task to draft the proposed new Act has been spearheaded by the Bar Council Committee to Reform the Legal Sector (“CRLS”). Various Working Groups were set up under this committee, to review the existing LPA and consider views from Members. The work of CRLS and its working groups culminated in a draft new Act.
In November 2018, Members were invited to provide their feedback on the draft new Act. In November and December 2018, the Bar Council organised consultations in 12 states, in order for CRLS members to highlight to Members the main features of the draft new Act, and obtain their feedback.
At its meetings on 7 and 8 Dec 2018, the Bar Council finalised the document after taking into consideration the input Members had provided in response to the invitations for feedback, and also through the state–level consultations that had taken place.
We are pleased to inform Members that the proposed new Act to govern the legal profession was submitted to the Attorney General on 9 Jan 2019. Members of the Bar can access the document by clicking here to log into the Malaysian Bar website, and then clicking here.
On behalf of the Malaysian Bar and the Bar Council, we thank all the members of CRLC and the Working Groups, for their unstinting diligence and generosity of time, energy and skills in service for the Bar.
We also wish to thank Members of the Bar who provided comments and suggestions and/or attended the state–level consultations and participated in the deliberations on the draft new Act.
The Bar Council will engage with the Attorney General’s Chambers in respect of the proposed new Act that has been submitted.
We will notify Members as and when there are developments.
George Varughese and Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari
Co–Chairpersons
Committee to Reform the Legal Sector