34. Status of law graduates

by Sarah Chew and Tan Ee Loo, The Star

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) law graduates can still practise if they pass their Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) exam.

According to CLP examinations director Muniandy Kannyappan, the procedure for graduates to enter legal practice is to complete the CLP, unless exempted, then apply for chambering and be admitted to the Malaysian Bar.

“The question of degree ‘recognition’ doesn’t arise because the law programme was accredited by MQA (Malaysian Qualifications Agency) in March. However, the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) views that evaluation has to be done in order to determine if UUM graduates can be exempted from the CLP exam for purposes of legal practice,” Muniandy told The Star.

He was responding to a letter titled “UUM law grads left in limbo”, that appeared in The Star yesterday.

The writer of the letter, whose daughter is pursuing her law degree at UUM, said he checked with the Malaysian Bar Council and was told that the Bachelor of Laws degree awarded by UUM had yet to be “recognised” for admission to the Malaysian Bar.

UUM’s law programme, offered since 2003, is undergoing evaluation by the LPQB.

LPQB’s evaluation committee visited UUM last month and will determine within the next few months if its graduates can be exempted from taking the CLP exam.

Currently, graduates from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Mara, International Islamic University Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and National University of Singapore as well as barristers-at-law of England are exempted.

“UUM feels that its degree is of the same standard as that of the other universities. But the LPQB still has to declare if its law students should be exempted,” Muniandy said.

He added that upon evaluation, should UUM students be exempted from the CLP, its first batch of graduates from 2007 could apply to enter chambering without having to sit for the examination.

A UUM official said the university would issue a statement today, to clarify the matter.

See yesterday's letter - The Editor.