College Of Law Sydney shuttered Malaysian office after questions were raised about legality of its Malaysian business - NSW LPAB attempted to conceal College's misconduct in Malaysia from being brought to the attention of the AG's Chambers Malaysia

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

 

On or around mid June 2019 the College Of Law's Director in Kuala Lumpur, Peter Tritt  was reminded this writer via email copied to oher Malaysian journalists that he, the College Of Law, and  the "College of Law Asia Pacific"  had provided no clarification of what seemed, from their own records, a failure to comply with Malaysia's laws while operating their business in Malaysia. 


In an entry on its website (since removed) the College Of Law stated:


The College of Law Asia-Pacific and its Director, Peter Tritt, is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The College of Law Asia-Pacific was established in 2016 to expand the College's operations into Asia, with a special focus on the new ASEAN Economic Community.


The College of Law Asia Pacific was  not merely a representative office. The offered courses in Malaysia in collaboration with its local partner, the Bar Council Malaysia. These courses included the LLM Malaysian Legal Practice.

 

The laws of Malaysia however required then and   now thata foreign company must either incorporate a local subsidiary or register as aforeign company. .

The College Of Law, led by CEO Neville Carter had done none fo that , and its "College Of Law Asia Pacific" has been shown to be non-existent.

Shortly after the query was sent College Of Law shuttered its Malaysian operations and its Peter Tritt disappeared (see story below).

The NSW LPAP was made aware of the matter, but did nothing. Instead it let it be known in writing  that it disapproved of this writer  bringing the matters above to the Attorney General's Chambers Malaysia. 

TO BE READ WITH 

Bar Council education ‘JV’ must be clarified

 

 Editor   July 19, 2019

The crest has not been used before to promote a course of study, and queries put to Bar Council President Fareed Gafoor about the use of the crest have been acknowledged but remain unanswered.

NMT has however sighted an email from Fareed dated Friday, May 24, 2019 with regards the LLM and the use of the crest where he states:

Dear Rajen,

We can’t remain silent on this.

Abdul Fareed Bin Abdul Gafoor

Sent from my iPad

It is understood that “Rajen” refers to  Rajen Devaraj, Chief Executive Officer of the Bar Council Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur.

The Bar has remained silent for nearly 2 months since.

Key person suddenly retired during extensive query

The College of Law used to be represented in Malaysia by its Director, Peter Tritt. Tritt have been queried extensively about the LLM and about the College’s business in Malaysia but has refused to provide answers. Tritt has been based in Kuala Lumpur since 2017 but announced on Friday that he had “retired” from the College on 30 June 2019.

It is understood that Tritt has forwarded queries sent him to his head office in Sydney and hence it appears that Tritt is under orders from his Chief Executive, Neville Carter, to remain silent.

Questionable advertising claims?

In advertising on the College’s website Carter has claimed that he had established a Professional Legal Training course for Malaysian Law students seeking admission to practise in Malaysia. There seems to be no evidence of such a course, or of any national level training course for the existing Certificate of Legal Practise.

Carter has also claimed to have produced the “inaugural” Handbook in Legal Practise for Malaysia, in the late 80s. A search of the main law libraries in Malaysia directed by the Chief Registrar, Federal Court Malaysia, has not found any such handbook.

He has also claimed to have, during that time to have identified and addressed “gaps” in Malaysian legal practise, but not even those in practice during that period and since have ever heard of him. Nor are senior practitioners aware of  “gaps” that needed that to be addressed by external consultants.

As CEO of the College Carter  has ultimate responsibility for the College’s Malaysian operation headed by Tritt and variously named the “College Of Law Asia Pacific” and the “College Of Law Asia”. A search by NMT has not revealed any entities registered under those names in Malaysia or in Australia, not even a foreign entities registered to conduct business in Malaysia.

Meanwhile the College, in collaboration with the Bar Council continues to sell its LLM and other courses in Malaysia, deriving a fee income from Malaysian courses.

-NMT