De facto Law Minister, Datuk Liew Vui Keong, at the town hall session in UITM, Shah Alam. - SHAARI CHEMAT / The Star
SHAH ALAM: The government is looking into the possibility of replacing the Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP) exam with a common bar course, says Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
The Minister in the Prime Ministers Department said that he understood that this was a concern of many students - both local and foreign - and a review had been conducted by the previous administration.
"Just give me time, it is under my purview and I’m looking into the proposal made previously,” the de facto law minister said to a question by a law student at a packed townhall session on the abolishment of the death penalty in UiTM Shah Alam on Wednesday (Nov 14).
Later Liew told reporters that a lot of students who sat for the CLP exam found it difficult to get through as the passing rate was very low.
"They want to have this common bar course whereby they probably don't have to sit for an exam, but have to go through various courses set up by the Bar Council and also training courses by the relevant bodies.
"It is like an entry point for all who seek to become a lawyer. Once they satisfy the entry requirements, they can practise in the court of law," said Liew.
“It’s like a replacement for the CLP exam,” continued Liew.
The CLP is a compulsory requirement for all law graduates who hold degrees from foreign universities (including those who take "external" law programmes).
They have to pass all five papers in one sitting before they can be called to the Malaysian Bar and be allowed to practise as a lawyer.
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