The Bar Council's 12 th biennial Malaysian Law Conference is being seen as a platform for public discussion on issues that have recently, and controversially, made the headlines.

Conference committee chairperson Dr Cyrus V Das ( second from right ) said the conference, with the theme 'Evolving a Malaysian Nation: The Role of Law and Lawyers', would tackle such matters as independent judicial appointments and impact of anti-terrorism legislation.

The two-day conference, to be held from Dec 10 in Kuala Lumpur, will also examine the state of the legislative, judicial and public services. It is scheduled to be opened by former Lord President and current Ruler of Perak, Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah.

Das said the criteria for promotion of judges had come under scrutiny following the elevation of several judges in July, and that this necessitated a forum where members of the public could interact with legal representatives.

"There has been a lot of discussion on this subject and it is not fair that people can only speak about it among themselves," he told a press conference today.

Deputy conference chairperson Mah Weng Kwai said the conference would examine the implications of anti-terrorism provisions passed by Parliament last month, including amendments to the Penal Code to give force to the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2001.

Mah, a former Bar president, said fundamental liberties and human rights have come under a fair degree of encroachment as a result of the amendments.

Format changes

Former Umno vice-president Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is expected to deliver the keynote address, while de facto Law Minister Rais Yatim will speak on the role of law and lawyers in nation building.

International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz will talk about the World Trade Organisation and its impact on the legal profession.

Das also said there will be changes to the way the conference is conducted this time around. For instance, the forum on judicial appointments will be moderated by former Bar president Raja Aziz Addruse and lawyer Norina Yahya. However, the audience will be the speakers.

He said legal experts and the public will be invited to participate in a legal education forum to discuss, among other things, the possibility of a common bar examination as an additional requirement for entry into the legal profession.

In addition, a parliamentary style debate will address issues surrounding the fatal operation to separate the Iranian Bijani twins in Singapore. It will allow for discussion on whether the operation was proper from a medico-legal and ethical standpoint.

This will be preceded by a special address by the Singapore Medical Association's ethics committee chairperson Dr Chn Jing Jih.