KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyers in Malaysia must seize every opportunity and should play a positive role in supporting the government, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
At the launch of the ELEVATE Initiative, Conveyancing Public Awareness Initiative and Upgraded Legal Directory with Solicitors' Areas of Practice by the Malaysian Bar at Wisma Badan Peguam Malaysia, she said these initiatives could boost confidence among Bar Council members.
"The government is working to create more economic opportunities, such as through the Special Economic Zone and Forest City, which provide avenues for joint ventures with lawyers from the Bar Council.
"Malaysian lawyers and members of the Bar must take advantage and not lose out on these business opportunities, and I believe these initiatives can give lawyers more confidence," she said.
Azalina highlighted the critical role of the Malaysian Bar Council in supporting the Madani government's vision for progress.
"This government represents an opportunity for change. The Bar must think creatively and find ways to assist the government in tackling current challenges.
"I hope the Bar recognises these challenges and plays a positive role in supporting the government. In turn, the government and I, as minister of law, will respond positively to drive progress."
The ELEVATE initiative is a risk management programme launched by the Malaysian Bar during its 77th annual general meeting in March.
It aims to encourage Bar members to integrate risk management into their legal practices, thereby boosting service quality.
Treasurer of the Malaysian Bar Council and chairman of the Joint Working Committee on ELEVATE, R. Jayabalan, mentioned the urgent need for a structured, specific and precise risk management programme that protects and enhances the quality of services from members of the Bar Council, which led to the creation of ELEVATE.
"ELEVATE aims to boost the quality and standards of legal services, making our lawyers and firms more competitive, while minimising potential claims against them," he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Conveyancing Public Awareness Campaign, which was also launched today, Bar Council Conveyancing Practice Committee co-chairman Zemilah binti Mohd Noor said the need to recognise potential crimes being committed by scammers who impersonated lawyers, prompted the launch of this campaign.
"With the tagline #SemakSebelumPercaya and #VerifyBeforeYouRely, we hope to empower individuals to verify the credentials of the individuals involved in transactions to safeguard themselves against fraud," she said.
Additionally, the Malaysian Bar Legal Directory has been upgraded to allow law firms to list their areas of practice.
This enhancement will help the people identify suitable law firms for their specific needs and connect with them more easily.