We, the United Kingdom & Eire Malaysian Law Students' Union (KPUM), as future members of the Malaysian Bar, are starting this petition in an effort to prevent the proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act 1976 (Act 166).

The Malaysian Bar with its 70 year legacy remains one of the most respected Bar Associations in the world, and has received the first ever rule of law award from the International Association of Lawyers (UIA) due to these main reasons:

1. The Malaysian Bar has always been outspoken on human rights and fundamental liberty issues.
2. The Malaysian Bar has always been independent as a professional body for legal practitioners.

The government has recently proposed to amend the Legal Profession Act 1976 (Act 166), with such amendments scheduled to be tabled at Parliament in October 2016.

We believe that the proposed amendments interfere with the independence of the Malaysian Bar and may ultimately be detrimental to the reputation of the country and the interests of its citizens at large.

It may also prevent the Malaysian Bar from performing its functions to its fullest capacity if the proposed amendments are passed.

Not only that the proposed amendments will also affect the protection of fundamental rights enshrined in our Federal Constitution due to the potential erosion of the rule of law in Malaysia should they be passed.

Various parties and international bar associations have written formal requests to the Malaysian Government to drop the proposed amendments, but such efforts seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

The reasons provided by the lawmaker for the proposed amendments are baseless, false and inadequate and is not necessary or proportionate in the achievement of any legitimate purpose.

It also runs contrary to the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which calls for Bar Associations to be independent in the performance of its duties.

As such, we the undersign representatives of various Malaysian law students in various universities urge for the prevention of the proposed amendments from being tabled or passed in the Parliament of Malaysia.

The proposed amendments include:

1. The appointment of two Government-appointed Members of the Bar to sit in the Bar Council who will be obligated to report to the Government on all matters discussed at the Bar council meetings, a clear sign of Executive influence.
2. An increase in quorum for all general meetings (annual and extraordinary) of the Malaysian Bar and State Bars from 500 to 25% of its total membership or 4000 (whichever is lower), an unreasonable amount of people.
3. Abolishment of the annual national election of 12 Bar Council members by postal ballot and replacing it with representatives from each state bar, resulting in unequal voting power and lack of representation. 
4. Creation of 2 divisions of elected members (those with less than 10 years of experience in practice and those with more than 10 years of experience in practice), a gateway to further discrimination amongst younger and older lawyers.
5. Direct election of Office Bearers (President,Vice President, Secretary) at the AGM of the Malaysian Bar and at the venues of the State Bar.
6. Disqualification of the State Bar Committee Chairmen and immediate past Vice President from election as Office Bearers, a possible election of less qualified candidates for certain roles.
7. Minister in charge of legal affairs will be empowered to determine the electoral rule and regulations of the Malaysian Bar, a direct interference from the executive power. 

We urge you to join us in our fight against the proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act.

Sign our petition and join our campaign to #LetsPreventAmendments!

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#LetsPreventAmendments is a campaign started by ASASI, KPUM's brand of human rights & student activism.

Read our infographics here.

Read KPUM's official statement here.