Malaysian Law/Introduction/Profession and service
Legal aid
[edit | edit source]Social inequality of people in Malaysia, the Legal Aid Bureau established under the Legal Aid Act 1971, to provide equity for the people on accessibility to legal assistance such as legal advice and consultation. The bureau assists on criminal and civil matters but limited, the second and third schedules of the act shows the scope:
Bar council has established a Legal Aid Centre to provide legal aid on the matters:
- family matters
- industrial accidents
- employment
- housing and tenancy matters
- detention
- consumer problems
- criminal matters
Applicants will undergo test. Income and expenditure will be asked. Applicant more than a certain amount of asset may not eligible. Certain applicants may undergo merit test.
Both difference is that Legal Aid Bureau is government-funded and their lawyers are salaried officers and a lawyers who may be assigned cases, while lawyers at Legal Aid Centre provide services for free.