Legal aid booths will be open at all courts in Peninsular Malaysia once a month - the first Wednesday of each month - to extend legal assistance to those in need.
The booths are a collaboration between the judiciary, the Bar Council National Legal Aid and the National Legal Aid Foundation, and launched in conjunction with the Bar’s Legal Aid Day celebration today.
“I am fully confident that the Legal Aid Day programme launched is another step forward in effectively meeting the needs of those who need legal aid,” said Bar president Karen Cheah during her speech at the Legal Aid Day launch at the Kuala Lumpur court complex.
“It is telling how cardinal the principle of legal aid by its express provisions as one of the Bar’s purposes established under Section 42 of the Legal Profession Act 1976,” she added.
In the said section, the Bar’s purpose is to make provision for or assist in the promotion of a scheme whereby needy persons may be represented by advocates and solicitors.
She added that when the first legal aid centre was set up in 1980, factory workers who were mostly single women, fishermen, and farmers were among those who received free legal aid and advice.
Thousands receive assistance
Cheah (above, left) said to date, there are 14 legal aid centres in Peninsular Malaysia representing each state.
“Our state legal aid centres have assisted more than 124,000 people.
“The KL legal aid centre alone assisted over 2,700 foreigners in 2023,” she added.
Apart from the booth, Cheah said the National Legal Aid and the foundation’s committee have also pledged their commitment to handling one legal aid case in a year, volunteering to be on duty at the legal aid centre, or participating in legal awareness or outreach programmes organised by state legal aid centres.
“With the launch of this programme, (I hope) it will serve as a reminder that access to justice is a fundamental right and not privileged, that should be afforded to everyone without exception,” she added.
Last year, the government announced an RM10 million allocation to the foundation to enable more people to get free legal services.
Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat officiated the event. - Mkini
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