Lawyers in training (The Star)

Lawyers in training

KDU College’s Law Society organised a Law Day on campus recently with the aim to produce ‘Generation Y’ lawyers who are instilled with awareness of current legal and humanitarian issues.

Three esteemed speakers were invited to share their views with the students. Rev Prof Michael Tate, a lecturer in International Humanitarian Law from the University of Tasmania, Australia, former state senator and former ambassador to The Hague, spoke about various international humanitarian issues including genocide, the Darfur crisis in Sudan, as well as the proceedings of the International Criminal Court.

A mock trial in session at the college’s moot court. The Law Day organised recently saw an exhibition of wit and wisdom by accomplished lawyers, ably assisted by students as junior counsels. — File photo

He discussed the need for young lawyers to be the agents of change within the local and international framework and prescribed the means of achieving those ideals.

The next speaker, human rights lawyer and activist Roger Chan, pushed forward issues that were closer to home. Chan, who is also deputy chairman of the Environmental and Humanities Committee of the Kuala Lumpur Bar Council, gave a compelling speech which argued that human rights was the inherent right of every citizen.

The crowd listened intently as Chan contextualised his speech in light of a series of protests that took place in the Klang Valley.

Both Rev Prof Tate and Chan’s speeches were followed by lively question and answer sessions.

Evidently, the students were susceptible to this new idea of change, but being curious legal students, their questions raised various levels of arguments that were dealt with admirably by both speakers.

Chairman of the KL Bar Constitutional Law Committee Edmund Bon took a proactive approach to the question and answer sessions. He engaged with the audience on contentious issues such as the abolishment of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the opening of Universiti Teknology MARA (UiTM) to non-Malay citizens.

That sparked a debate amongst the students who either defended the status quo or spoke up against it. And in his stinging words, “the worst place in hell is reserved for those who do not take a stand”.

Compelling arguments were made on both sides, which saw differing views and opinions vocalised. At the end of the session, Bon enlightened the audience with the current state of Malaysian law and a prospective look into the legal system.

The day came to a close with a moot exhibition (a mock trial set up to examine a hypothetical case).

Accomplished lawyers, Richard Wee and Sunil Lopez from the firm Richard Wee Lopez amazed the audience with their wit and wisdom as counsels.

Assisting them as junior counsels were University of London final year students Faraz Ali Rojid and Yip Xiaoheng.

The exhibition was riveting, as not only did the lawyers put on an excellent show in educating the lawyers-in-the-making, but they also made it fun to watch as it was given a generous dose of humour.

— By RANJANI DHANABALAKRISHNAN

(second year law student)