Report on the first KLYLC Public Interest Litigation Unit Workshop - 7 July 2012, 10am KL Bar Auditorium

The Kuala Lumpur Bar Young Lawyers Committee (KLYLC), in collaboration with the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR) recently established a Public Interest Litigation Unit (PILU). PILU aims to involve lawyers, pupils and law students in the area of strategic litigation, promoting constitutional and human rights law in Malaysia and bridges the gap between lawyers interested in the area of strategic litigation and parties needing such involvement and assistance. The first out of a series of four half-day workshops on strategic litigation was held at the KL Bar Auditorium on 7 July 2012. Also in attendance were prominent lawyers of the strategic litigation area including K Shanmuga and Honey Tan.

The workshop kick-started with an ice breaker session, facilitated by Edmund Bon Tai Soon – a very experienced strategic litigation lawyer in the country. He explained the importance of both listening and interviewing skills. Participants were asked to pay full attention to their partner telling their own life stories, and thereafter reiterate what was heard to the audience. It was an enlightening session, to hear the important life events of participants from all walks of life.

In the following session, Edmund explained to the participants the definition and need for strategic litigation, allowing them to gain an understanding and importance of the same. He further gave examples of cases chosen for strategic litigation in Malaysia and in other countries, and advised participants to read on the cases and relevant legal principles in order to comprehend and attain a good grasp of the workings of strategic litigation before taking cases to work on.

After a short tea break, the participants were divided into three groups representing three different causes namely Gender Inequality, People with Disability and the Internal Security Act. Ensuing from what is called the ‘Problem Tree Analysis’, they were asked to brainstorm and discuss about the causes and consequences of the different issues. All the participants were actively engaged in the discussion, and they were then asked to present and explain their tree diagram to the audience.

Hasbee Masputra Abu Bakar facilitated the next session and gave a comprehensive overview of the power relations in the current Malaysian executive, legislative and judiciary systems. This session was delivered in a light-hearted manner, where Hasbee made his explanations clear with a huge diagram and all the participants were given a wide picture of the present issues concerned.

At the end of the workshop, all participants were reminded to get a copy of the reading list and acquire basic knowledge of strategic litigation prior to the next workshop in September. It was a fruitful day, participants of the workshop were able to gain better insight of strategic litigation, and also left with thoughts and points to ponder. We are all looking forward to the same positive turnout and responses in the next workshop!

Prepared by Chua Chinn Yuan.