The Malaysian Bar's International Malaysia Law Conference ("IMLC") 2018 is taking place from 14 to 17 Aug 2018 at The Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur.
By Stella Chai, Bar Council Secretariat
By Stella Chai, Bar Council Secretariat
Steven Thiru, Co–Chairperson of the International Malaysia Law Conference (“IMLC”) 2018 Organising Committee, kicked off the conference at The Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur yesterday (14 Aug 2018), welcoming hundreds of delegates, speakers, moderators, and guests from across the globe to the Malaysian Bar’s signature biennial event. His Introductory Remarks were preceded by a rousing musical performance by Nakasutra Cultural Drum.
Steven spoke about how, in the face of the major shifts in the country’s political and legal landscapes and alongside the continuing rise of the digital age and the phenomenon of disruptive innovation, the IMLC 2018 Organising Committee had to recalibrate and reinvent the conference, to give it a less linear, and more global, outlook.
This year’s IMLC, according to Steven, seeks to offer an avenue for meaningful discourse in this era of change. It zeroes in on new and exciting areas of the law. These include the impact of technology and innovation on the legal profession, existing and evolving practice, and the future of law and traditional law firm structures in the domestic sessions. IMLC also showcases cutting–edge initiatives by leading national and international bar associations and law organisations in interactive working groups in the international sessions as well as panel deliberations to assess the election mandate and promises, fundamental rights, and separation of powers in the new Malaysia.
In his Welcoming Address, George Varughese, President of the Malaysian Bar, took the audience through a brief timeline of
the evolution of the IMLC from its humble beginnings as the Malaysian
Law Conference 47 years ago. This year’s iteration of the IMLC is the
most extensive yet in history, spanning domestic and international
sessions, a testament to its theme, “Raising the Bar: Innovate.
Integrate. Emulate.”
George specifically mentioned the many dramatic changes in Malaysia in the past three months, since the momentous and unprecedented events of the 14th General Election on 9 May 2018. Following a peaceful transition of power, the nation heralded in a new era, and George stressed that the people of Malaysia expect and deserve no less than for the Government to fulfil its election commitments. George urged the new Government to raise the bar in upholding the rule of law.
He also called for Members of the Bar to raise their expectations of themselves as legal practitioners, and to be mindful of their societal role as lawyers. His speech was a clarion call to legal professionals: “… that if we are to rise in the legal sector, we must not rest on our laurels but must continuously strive to improve, to be better — to be the best that we can be.”
Steven and George each concluded their respective remarks with words of appreciation to Karen Cheah, the Co–Chairperson of the IMLC 018 Organising Committee; the Bar Council Secretariat team; and the sponsors and supporters; and wished the attendees a rewarding and memorable experience at the conference.
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George specifically mentioned the many dramatic changes in Malaysia in the past three months, since the momentous and unprecedented events of the 14th General Election on 9 May 2018. Following a peaceful transition of power, the nation heralded in a new era, and George stressed that the people of Malaysia expect and deserve no less than for the Government to fulfil its election commitments. George urged the new Government to raise the bar in upholding the rule of law.
He also called for Members of the Bar to raise their expectations of themselves as legal practitioners, and to be mindful of their societal role as lawyers. His speech was a clarion call to legal professionals: “… that if we are to rise in the legal sector, we must not rest on our laurels but must continuously strive to improve, to be better — to be the best that we can be.”
Steven and George each concluded their respective remarks with words of appreciation to Karen Cheah, the Co–Chairperson of the IMLC 018 Organising Committee; the Bar Council Secretariat team; and the sponsors and supporters; and wished the attendees a rewarding and memorable experience at the conference.
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