No more restriction on UEC holders to sit for CLP

PETALING JAYA: The Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) has put on hold a directive that students who only have the Unified Examinations Certificate (UEC) be barred from sitting for the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) exam.

DAP’s Teo Nie Ching said the decision was made by LPQB directors in a meeting yesterday.

LPQB is made up of Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali, Malaysian Bar president George Varughese, two senior judges and an academic nominated by the government.

The board had discussed the matter and decided not to enforce a decision made in 2005, but which was only notified to colleges last month.

Following the notification, the LPQB website had put up a notice stating that those who wish to sit for the CLP must have at least two pass grades in Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia, the local equivalent to A-Levels.

However, the board now said that the 2005 decision would not be enforced until LPQB reconsiders this issue in the future.

Teo, who is the Kulai MP, thanked Varughese for his efforts.

“Without him fighting for the UEC holders in the LPQB board meeting, it is hard to say if LPQB will listen to the plights of thousands.

“However, until and unless UEC is accepted and recognised by our Government, this issue can reoccur anytime in the future,” she said, adding that she had met Varughese on Nov 27, to highlight how unfair the “new” policy had been for students from Chinese secondary schools.

After the issue broke last month, many law graduates from private colleges as well as law students complained that the “new” restriction was unfair, and called for the 12-year decision to be reversed by LPQB. - FMT