To be a lawyer, we really should just be looking at the Law Degree that one holds. Is it recognized or not?
Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) - well, that is not a University Degree. It is like our Malaysian Sijil Pelajaran(SPM) Malaysia.
Nationalism - we only recognize the SPM - and not any other? Well we are also recognizing A-levels, which is a requirement for admission in foreign universities like in England, Australia, etc... (Well, many of this foreign universities do not recognize our SPM, do they?And, why is this? Is it because our SPM is not up to par...?)
Likewise, the UEC is a recognized requirement for Universities in Singapore, Taiwan, etc..So, if we recognize the A-levels, why are we not recognizing the UEC, when foreign Universities are recognizing it, and admitting students(Malaysian students) into the law degree programmes.
So, why is the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) being discriminatory - remember most foreign degree holders (that is recognized in Malaysia) cannot become a lawyer unless they sit and pass the Certificate of Legal Practice... that is the pre-requisite before you can be a lawyer in Malaysia.
Well, Malaysia is now allowing foreign lawyers to practice in Malaysia - Do they have SPM?
The problem now is that lawyers from local Universities do not have to take and pass the Certificate of Legal Practices, and the standards in local Universities is not what it was before. There is a need for a Common Bar Exam(or the CLP for all) so that only those of a certain standard are allowed to practice. Lawyers provide professional legal services for the public, and as such, there is the need to maintain standards.
It was rather sad that it was the President of the Malaysian Bar that was reported making the statement on behalf of Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) about this UEC matter..,Cause the Malaysian Bar has much higher standards and principles, and would most likely oppose positions that are seen to be discriminatory. I am sure that the Malaysian Bar position would be different...
UEC - if the concern is about the grasp of Bahasa Malaysia and English, then make it a requirement that one is expected to pass the Malay and English test - and this should maybe be a different test/certificate. Those who have already passed their SPM Bahasa Malaysia and English could be excluded.
November 22, 2017
‘Decision against UEC applies to all CLP candidates’
PETALING
JAYA: The decision not to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate
(UEC) as an entry requirement for the Certificate in Legal Practice
(CLP) exam applies to all students, says Malaysian Bar president George
Varughese.
Speaking to FMT, he said the decision of the Legal Profession
Qualifying Board (LPQB) “binds every law
student who wants to take the
CLP exam, regardless of where they are from”.
Varughese, a current member of the LPQB, was asked to respond to
concerns raised by the Advocates Association of Sarawak (AAS) on whether
East Malaysian UEC holders would be affected by the board’s 2005
decision.
AAS Sibu branch chairman David Kuok had told FMT that he wanted to
hear the board’s official stand on the issue, following remarks from
former Malaysian Bar president Khutubul Zaman Bukhari, who said the LPQB
could not impose its decisions outside the peninsula.
“The statement by this ex-president seems to be a personal decision,
and I want to know whether his statement reflects the board’s stand,”
Kuok said.
Khutubul Zaman had said there was no reason for AAS or the Sarawak
United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) to be upset as the LPQB had no power in
Sabah and Sarawak.
When asked if the board would review the 12-year-old decision,
Varughese said he had asked for the issue to be discussed at LPQB’s next
meeting in December.
According to a notice on the board’s website, the decision against
recognising the UEC as equivalent to SPM or STPM was made in 2005. Those
who wish to sit for the CLP need at least two pass grades in the STPM
or A-Levels.
The board is composed of the attorney-general, the Malaysian Bar
president, two judges and an academic nominated by the government.- FMT News, 22/11/2017
Top universities accept the UEC
Nation;
Sunday, 15 Nov 2015
MORE
than 800 universities in the world open their doors to UEC students (as
long as their academic results meet the entry requirements), according
to the latest compilation by the Dong Zong (United School Committees
Associations of Malaysia).
Among the top-ranking institutions that recognise the senior UEC are
the California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Oxford
University, University of Cambridge, University of Toronto, University
of Tokyo, National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong,
University of Melbourne, Peking University and Kyoto University.
“Based on The Times Higher Education World University
Rankings Top 200 of 2014, more than 70 of these world-class universities
have accepted the enrolment of UEC graduates to pursue tertiary
education in their universities,” says Dong Zong in an internal report
on “Access to Higher Education with UEC Qualification”, made available
to Sunday Star.
The United Examinations Certificate (UEC) is a standardised
examination conducted by the Dong Zong in the country’s 60 Chinese
independent secondary schools. After studying for three years, students
will sit for the junior UEC exam, and after six years, they will sit for
the senior UEC exam.
In another report on the whereabouts of senior UEC leavers after they
sat for their examination in 2013, the Dong Zong report says that out
of 8,088 Chinese secondary school graduates, a total of 6,235 students,
or 77.16%, chose to pursue further studies.
Among those seeking higher education, 3,017, or 48.39%, enrolled in
local colleges and universities while 2,895, or 46.43%, went to
universities overseas.
Within Malaysia, most UEC students are in private institutions and branch campuses of foreign universities.
Only two UEC graduates managed to get into local public universities.
Among foreign countries, Taiwan took in the largest number of UEC students with Singapore ranking second.
The other favourite destinations of the 2013 batch were Australia, Britain, and China.
The Dong Zong says this report tracing UEC students is the outcome of a survey carried out from June to November 2015.
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1 comment:
"To be a lawyer, we really should just be looking at the Law Degree that one holds. Is it recognized or not?"
Totally Agree. Absolutely right! Why go back to secondary school's education qualification such as the SPM/STPM when you have already earned a world recognised Law Degree?
LPQB should amend such discriminatory rule immediately and allow qualified Malaysian LLB degree holders, who do not have SPM/STPM but other qualifications like the UEC and/or other similar standard qualifications when they applied to study their law degrees with UK or foreign Universities, to sit for the CLP Exam. Do not deprive them of their rights just because of a minor. insignificant non-compliance of a rule set by LPQB. Be fair and reasonable to all Malaysians regardless of.....
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