Kuala lumpur: The proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act 1976, aimed at including representation from Sabah and Sarawak on the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB), are set to bolster public confidence in the competence and quality of lawyers in these regions.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sabah Law Society (SLS) president Datuk Mohamed Nazim Maduarin expressed that these amendments would restore fairness and accountability within the system, ensuring that legal qualification decisions consider the interests of both Sabah and Sarawak. He emphasized that the reforms acknowledge the significant impact LPQB’s decisions have on the standards, integrity, and future of the legal profession in these states.
“This reform is not a favour to Sabah and Sarawak. It is a correction of a structural imbalance that should never have existed in the first place. While the LPQB does not govern the entire Malaysian legal profession, its decisions have a direct and significant impact on who may qualify for admission in Sabah and Sarawak. It is therefore indefensible that for decades, the Board could make decisions that shape the quality and composition of our Bars without the participation of the very jurisdictions affected by those decisions,” Datuk Mohamed Nazim stated.
He highlighted that for decades, the entry routes into the Sabah Bar, whether through the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) or law degrees from public universities, have been determined by a board lacking representation from Sabah and Sarawak. The absence of local input has led to the imposition of qualification pathways without the opportunity for scrutiny or influence over the standards.
“The LPQB’s decisions affect not only who may enter practice in Sabah but also the quality and credibility of those who eventually serve the public as advocates,” he added.
Datuk Mohamed Nazim urged that the amendments be passed without dilution, stressing the importance of appointing representatives from Sabah and Sarawak who understand the unique realities and needs of legal practice in these states. He expressed a willingness to work constructively with the LPQB to strengthen the integrity of qualification pathways, ensure transparency in recognition processes, and uphold the standards necessary for a competent and ethical legal profession in Sabah.