Will the Bar Council ‘s proposed CBC be offered in collaboration with Australia's College Of Law’,and based on its flawed PLT?-New at Realpolitikasia

by Ganesh Sahathevan

The Malaysian legal system counts amongst its

elders the likes of Tan Sri Ahmad Ibrahim.It 

was very much tied to the UK system from the

1800s to well after Independence.Nevertheless.

Australia's College Of Law claims it identified

and cured "gaps" in Malaysian legal practice.

First see

Circular No 147/2017

Dated 11 July 2017

To Members of the Malaysian Bar

Providing Assistance to The College of Law, Australia | Development of Localised Master f Laws Programme
The Bar Council Malaysia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The College of
Law, Australia and New Zealand in order to create further legal education and training platforms
for the benefit of Members of the Bar.

Apparently, not many members of the Malaysian Bar are even aware that this MOU exists.

The Bar Council has recused to answer any questions about the MOU or anything to do with the College Of Law:

“The Malaysian Bar believes that the emphasis of the CBC should not be primarily on examinations. 

“Rather, the CBC(Common Bar Course) should be outcome-driven and focus on, amongst others, the development of critical skills, including those relating to advocacy, legal procedure in civil as well as criminal matters, arbitration and mediation, negotiation, and managing the operations of a law firm,” said (former Bar Council President George)  Varughese:

The sentiment is good, but as explained in this article by this writer, the College of Law's basic Professional Legal Training (PLT) course has significant weaknesses that go back to at least 2006.These weaknesses remain given poor enforcement by the entity in charge of overseeing the College, the Attorney General of NSW, currently  Mark Speakman SC:

Bar Council Malaysia & College Of Law Australia on-line Masters students not protected: College does not have real presence in Malaysia,and Australian regulators including the Attorney General NSW will act to protect it from complaints made in Australia

The Bar Council's insistence on a collaboration with the College Of Law  in offering practical training courses is difficult to understand. Any number of online course providers, including some in Malaysia, have more advanced on-line tutorial systems that can be readily adapted to local requirements. Most are larger and better funded. 

END