Article contributed by Scott Khor Tzher K'ng, Officer; and photos by Muhammad Bazli Naim b Abdul Azid, Administrative Assistant, Bar Council Secretariat
On 14 Nov 2019, the Yunnan Provincial Law Society and Liaoning Law Association paid courtesy visits to Bar Council Malaysia, at 2:00 pm and 4:30 pm, respectively. Their visits were sequential to their participation in the China-ASEAN Legal Forum held at the Asian International Arbitration Centre one day earlier, on 13 Nov 2019.
The following were the visiting delegates from the Yunnan Provincial Law Society:
(1) Zhao Zuying, Executive Vice Chairman, Yunnan Provincial Law Society;
(2) Li Wanlin, Executive Member, Yunnan Provincial Law Society; Dean Professor, Law School of Kunming University of Science and Technology;
(3) He Xifeng, Vice Chairman, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Law Research Institute of Yunnan Provincial Law Society; Executive Deputy Director, Lawyer, South Asia and Southeast Asia Legal Service of Yunnan Lawyers Association;
(4) Hou Chunfang, Member, Yunnan Provincial Law Society; and
(5) Ye Yang, Member, Yunnan Provincial Law Society.
The delegation from Liaoning Law Association consisted of:
(1) Enqun Wang, Vice President, Liaoning Law Association;
(2) Zheng Li, Secretary General of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Liaoning Law Association; and
(3) Dongmei He, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Liaoning Law Association.
Roger Chan Weng Keng, Vice-President of the Malaysian Bar, chaired both of the sessions. The Yunnan Provincial Law Society and Liaoning Law Association explained the background and structure of their respective bodies and their role in relation to the legal profession during their session.
Roger Chan provided an overview of the Malaysian Bar, which included its purpose, the role of the Bar Council and information regarding the Office Bearers of the Malaysian Bar. He also shared details regarding the market visits Malaysian Bar has had with various China provinces, the Memoranda of Understanding that Malaysian Bar has signed with the China Law Society and various lawyers associations in China, and the Lawyers Exchange Programme with Guangdong and Guangxi.
Roger Chan invited both bodies to participate in the opening of the Legal Year 2020 on 10 Jan 2020. Desmond Ho, Co-Chairperson of the International Malaysia Law Conference ("IMLC") 2020 Organising Committee, also took the opportunity to promote IMLC 2020, which will be held from 12 to 14 Aug 2020.
Both courtesy visits ended with exchange of gifts. The sessions were productive and both bodies look forward to explore more collaborative opportunities with the Malaysian Bar.