KUCHING: A draft of the Legal Profession Bill 2019 has been circulating since yesterday, and legal professions in the state feel that the Bill was another of Malaya’s attempt to extinguish Sarawak’s rights.
Veteran lawyer Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the main objective of the Bill by the federal government is to federalise legal profession in the country and to standardise all aspects from qualification, discipline and formation of a firm and partnership of legal firms.
“At the moment there are three Legal profession jurisdictions, namely Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah, which are governed by three sets of legislations and all (of which are) regulating procedures. If the law is passed based on this Bill, the Ordinances of Sarawak and Sabah government pertaining to the legal profession is repealed,” he pointed out.
“The Advocates Association of Sarawak will be abolished by the operation of the law under this drafted bill,” he said.
He said this also means that the legal profession of the two states of Sarawak and Sabah will lose control of the state’s legal practitioners and have no more authority over the legal profession as provided under the respective States Ordinances.
Wan Junaidi, who is also Santubong MP, stressed the Bill not only affects the legal profession of Sarawak and Sabah because also the government administration of the two states.
He doubted that the two states were consulted.
“Or is this another backdoor attempt by Malaya to disregard Article 161B(1) of the Federal Constitution.
“I hope that this is not another attempt to bulldoze and take away our rights as Malaya did like how they bulldozed many legislations in the past without due regard for the Federal Constitution,” he stressed.
“I would say this is unconstitutional, Sarawakians must stand and be heard and listened to. We must protect the people’s right and the sanctity of the Federal Constitution,” said Wan Junaidi.
