The Bar Council welcomes the recent announcement that a Commission of Enquiry will soon be set up to review the police force in totality. The Bar Council commends the Prime Minister for exhibiting the political will to tackle problems relating to the police, as he has openly declared that the proposed exercise will not be for the purposes of paying lip service only. This refreshing move augurs well for the development of our country. The nation now awaits the full and transparent implementation of this timely proposal.
The Bar Council has from time to time highlighted important issues concerning the police force that need to be addressed, including the issues of corruption, inefficiency, excessive force, deaths in custody and police shootings, and the lack of transparency. Some other aspects of our criminal justice system which also require urgent reform are the existing remand procedures, the right of information regarding persons under remand, access to lawyers and next of kin, conditions of detention, and treatment of juvenile offenders. These are among the matters that should be investigated by the Commission.
In the quest to improve efficiency, questions such as the shortage of manpower and modern facilities (as recently highlighted by the CID Director) and proper remuneration for police personnel should also be carefully studied by the Commission.
The scope and terms of reference of the proposed Commission should be made as wide as possible, so that the Commission will be able to look into all aspects of the administration of the police force as well as that of the system of criminal justice; which are vital institutions closely connected with each other. Only then will the Commission be able to submit comprehensive findings and recommendations.
The Bar Council will render its support for this long awaited step in the right direction, and will be most happy to co-operate and assist in the work of the proposed Commission; which it is hoped will start soon. It is further hoped that, with the proper political will and commitment, further steps in the right direction can be taken to likewise strengthen other vital institutions such as the legal and judicial service and the justice system as a whole.
Haji Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari Vice-Chairman Bar Council
2012 Bar Council Subscription Click the link above to download Circular 072/2012 pertaining to the 2012 Bar Council subscription, including the payment guide and a set of Frequently-Asked-Questions.
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International Malaysia Law Conference (26 to 28 Sept 2012) Hurry up! The countdown continues and the current promotion rate ends 30 June 2012. Don't miss what is going to be the best conference in the region! On top of that, if you sign up with 5 or more people from the same organisation, we will give you a 10% group discount. Click on the link above to register.
Talk on Summary Judgement (25 May 2012) Organised by the Selangor Bar Committee, this talk will take place at 5:00 pm, at the Selangor Bar Committee Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). The talk will be conducted by Ramesh Supramanian. Click on the link above for more details.
Seminar on Tax Issues in Financial Transactions (25 May 2012) Organised by the Kuala Lumpur Bar Professional Development Committee, this seminar, featuring S Saravana Kumar, will take place at 3:00 pm, at the Kuala Lumpur Bar Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). Click on the link above for more details.
Dialogue with Criminal Law Practitioners (26 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council, this dialogue will take place at 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, at the Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium, Bar Council, on 26 May 2012 (Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
Conference on Competition Law (31 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council with the support of LexisNexis, this conference will take place at 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, at Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, on 31 May 2012 (Thursday). For more details or to register, please contact Vilashini Vijayan (03-2050 2095; vila@malaysianbar.org.my). Click on the link above for more details.
Talk on What Clients Want (7 June 2012) Organised by the KL Bar Practitioners' Affairs Committee, the talk, presented by Ong Eu Jin, will take place at 5:00 pm, at the KL Bar Auditorium, on 7 June 2012 (Thursday). Click on the link above for more details.
4th LAWASIA Family Law Conference, Penang (13 and 14 July 2012) Supported by Penang Bar Committee and the Malaysian Bar, this conference, themed “The New Global Family: Emerging Trends and Challenges to Family Practice”, will take place at Traders Hotel, Penang, on 13 and 14 July 2012 (Friday and Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
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