KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Kulasegaran Murugeson has rejected calls to abolish the articled clerkship programme, saying the move would deny underprivileged individuals the opportunity to pursue a legal career.
It was introduced in the 1970s to provide a pathway for those unable to afford public or overseas university education to qualify as lawyers.
Articled clerkship is a programme in which individuals undergo in-service training at a law firm to gain practical experience and qualify as lawyers.
He was responding to Besut MP Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh, who suggested that the programme be discontinued because it is outdated given the current oversupply of law graduates, with some 1,000 LLB holders entering the workforce annually.
“Perhaps the honourable member is wealthy and can attend Universiti Malaya or study abroad. But what about the poor? Are they to be left behind? This programme provides them with an opportunity.
“Is this a monopoly, allowing only university graduates to practise in court? The MADANI government thinks outside the box, and the honourable member should be advocating for the underprivileged,” Kulasegaran said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He added that the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) has agreed to set up a special task force to review and enhance the articled clerkship curriculum.
