Helping Malaysians to know their laws and rights

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PETALING JAYA: Do you know the country’s laws and whether some of them are undermining your rights as a citizen or human being?

Malaysians in general are not well versed in legal matters and often they are not aware of the legal implications for their lives and those of their loved ones.

The poor understanding transcends statutes and regulations governing many
areas, including the rights of various community groups as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, the country’s supreme law.

Thus, a Law Awareness Week programme was organised by a private law school in Sunway recently to assist Malaysians in obtaining the right information about the laws and their role in maintaining public order, and about citizens’ rights.

 

Legal aid centre

 

The Taylor’s Law School at the lakeside campus of Taylor’s University started helping Malaysians get to know their laws better in March 2011, when the school set up its own free legal aid centre, the first at a private university here.

With the support of the Bar Council Malaysia’s Legal Aid Centre, the Taylor’s Legal Aid Centre so far has helped with more than 20 cases related to tenancy and landlord matters, family law and employment.

The main purpose of this legal aid centre is not only to help the public, but also to mould law students into ethical lawyers of the future.

 

A centre of practical learning

 

Prof Datuk Dr Hassan Said, vice chancellor and president of Taylor’s University, is confident that, through the legal aid centre, law students will be able to put into practice what they have learned in their classrooms.

“Simultaneously, the undertaking will instill in these students a sense of responsibility to the society through community outreach. We have studied the set-ups in UK universities and modelled our Legal Aid Centre after them, with an aim of providing practical legal education to our students,” he added.

Dr Hassan noted that the legal aid centre welcomed collaborations from law firms and other members of the legal fraternity in the country.

It is intended to benefit students by providing exposure to an invaluable experience in dealing with real-life legal problems.

The centre, open to the public, helps those who need of sound legal advice before consulting professional lawyers to take up their cases in courts of law.

Students of the Law School take turns to operate the centre. There are currently about 170 law students in the Sunway Law School. These students take down the facts of the case, with their lecturers overseeing the whole interview process, and then the students do research based on the facts determined with their lecturers.

 

Public awareness

 

Law Awareness Week saw a list of activities, including a forum to widen the public’s understanding of their rights, with prominent panellists including Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi of University Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Christopher Leong (Vice President of the Bar Council Malaysia), Goh Siu Lin (Secretary of the Association of Women Lawyers — AWL) and the dean of Taylor’s Law School, Harmahinder Singh.

Panellists urged attendees to take their rights seriously.

They advised everyone, especially young Malaysians, to be aware of their right to equal protection under the law, to freedom of association and to freedom of religion.

“Everyone has a right to counsel, as stated in the Federal Constitution. The constitutional
safeguard of Article 5(3) states that every arrestee shall be allowed to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his/her choice. All rights are inherent. Human beings are born with rights,” Dr Faruqi reminded the forum.

 

Upholding justice

 

‘Justice must prevail at all times’ — we hear many people making such statements from time to time,” he said.

Christopher Leong talked about the importance of the courts upholding a fair trial, as citizens of this country have the right to a fair public hearing.

Unfairly detained people have a right to apply for Habeas Corpus writ to seek release, Leong added.

“A judge is very powerful person. And a judgement must be fair and seem to be fair.

“Youths should realise that rights are not conferred; they are inherent.

“Thus, youths should be encouraged to know more about their rights,” Leong added.

 

Women’s rights

 

Malaysians should be encouraged to learn the content and components of the law.

There are various areas of legal concern involving the rights of women, consumers, the under-aged and indigenous people needing special attention, care and protection.

Only the law can satisfy these needs.

Goh Sin Lin said people should never be deprived of their rights, and that they have to be aware that laws and rules are present in their daily lives to regulate human behaviour, and also for optimum social order and fundamental liberties.

May Malaysians be more aware of the law and their rights, and learn not to violate or abuse their perimeters for the good of the nation and the community. — Bernama