We are pleased to inform you that the Bar Council will be organising the 15^th Malaysian Law Conference at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 29-31 July 2010. The theme of the Conference is “Malaysian Law: Extending Frontiers, Widening Horizons”.

The Conference will cover a wide range of legal issues including the Setting Aside and Enforcement of Arbitration Awards, Competition Act 2010: What it Means to Malaysian Businesses, The Interface between Sha’riah and the Legal System in Islamic Finance – Recent Developments, Developments in Tax Law and the Recent Federal Court Decision on Section 340 of the National Land Code (Please find attached the program).

Among the confirmed speakers are Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo (Chief Justice of the South African Constitutional Court), Justice V K Rajah (Singapore Court of Appeal Judge), Y. Bhg. Dato’ Haji Abu Kassim bin Mohamed (Chief Commissioner of MACC), Dato’ Sri Nazir Razak (Group Chief Executive, CIMB Group) and the Honourable Michael Kirby (Retired Australian High Court Judge).

In order to make this Conference affordable to undergraduates, the Bar Council is offering a special student registration package to students from Univertities and Colleges. This special student registration package is priced at an affordable RM100 per person and will entitle the student to the Conference Papers, attend all the sessions and tea breaks (welcome reception and lunches are excluded).

We invite students who are interested in taking up this special package to submit the registration form to us as soon as possible.

For further information about the Malaysian Law Conference, please call Sumitha the officer-in-charge at 03-20313467 or send an email to sumitha@malaysianbar.org.my.

The Honourable Mr. Michael Kirby will be delivering the Keynote Address and also addressing the Conference on the Subject:

“Hard Talk on Human Rights ”

Education:
The Honourable Michael Kirby was born in Sydney in 1939. Between the years of 1951-1955, he was educated in Fort Street Boys’ High School, Sydney. From the years 1956-1968 he attended the University of Sydney and graduated in BA; LLB; Bec; LLM (First Class Honours).

Professional History:
The Honourable Michael Kirby started off his career as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1962. Thereafter, in 1967 he practiced as a Barrister in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, High Court of Australia, Supreme Court, Australian Capital Territory until 1974.
Michael Kirby was, until 2 February 2009, one of the seven Justices of Australia’s highest constitutional and appellate court, the High Court of Australia. He served there from his appointment on 6 February 1996. At the end of that service he was Australia’s longest serving judicial officer having been:
· A deputy president of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission 1975-1983;
· Inaugural chairman of the Australian Law Reform Commission 1975-1984;
· A judge of the Federal Court of Australia 1983-1984;
· President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal 1984-1996;
· President of the Court of Appeal of Solomon Islands 1995-1996;
· A justice of the High Court of Australia 1996-2009.
In addition to these posts, Michael Kirby has served in many international and United Nations positions including two expert groups of the OECD, Paris, many bodies of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London and positions in the ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNODC, WHO Global Commission on AIDS, and UNAIDS. He was President of the International Commission of Jurists 1995-1998 and served as Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Human Rights in Cambodia 1993-1996. He has been a member of the governing body of three Australian universities, ultimately being elected as Chancellor of Macquarie University in Sydney 1984-1993. He holds honorary degrees of Doctor of Letters, Doctor of Laws and Doctor of the University from twelve Australian and foreign universities and various other appointments

Justice V K Rajah will be addressing the Conference on the subject:

“Redrawing the Modern Boundaries of Contractual Interpretation- From Text to Context and Beyond”

Education :
Justice V K Rajah graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1982 with several prizes for academic merit. He subsequently obtained an LLM (First Class) from University of Cambridge in 1986. He was in private practice for some twenty years before he joined the Bench. During this period he managed one of the largest law firms in Singapore and the region. In 1997 he was named as one of the first twelve Senior Counsel in Singapore.

Professional History:
He was appointed a Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court, Singapore on 2 January 2004 and thereafter a Judge on 1 November 2004. Justice Rajah was appointed a Judge of Appeal on 11 April 2007. He recently chaired a government appointed committee tasked with making recommendations to develop the Singapore Legal Sector. He is currently also a Vice President of the Singapore Academy of law. Besides his judicial work he continues to have an active interest in two not altogether related areas of human development – behavioural economics and anthropology.

Mr. Mohanadass Kanagasabai will be addressing the Conference on the subject:

“Arbitration/Construction ”

Mr. Mohanadass Kanagasabai has extensive experience and work over the last ten years in arbitration or arbitration related matters, both domestic and international.

The nature of the arbitration projects undertaken is diverse and includes the following:
1. Appeared as counsel in arbitration in London over disputes arising from the design and construction of an oil gas platform under UNCITRAL Rules.

2. Appeared as counsel in arbitration in London over disputes arising from design and construction of a central processing platform under the London Court of International Arbitration Rules.

3. ICC Arbitration with a Geneva seat in respect of disputes arising out of an EPC contract for export gas compressor.

4. UNCITRAL arbitration in Kuala Lumpur in respect of EPCC contract for well head riser platforms.

5. Arbitration over disputes arising from design and construction of offshore power barges under the International Chamber of Commerce Rules.

6. Disputes arising from a contract for 600km subsea pipe laying work in South China Sea under Thai law.

7. Disputes arising from an international joint venture agreement for oil and gas exploration under the Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.

8. Arbitration in India over disputes relating to highway upgrading and rehabilitation work.

9. Arbitration in Zurich in respect of disputes arising out of an international joint venture agreement for security printing.

10. Arbitration over disputes arising out of the design and construction of a petrochemical plant under ICC rules.

11. Arbitration in Singapore over shareholder disputes in relation to a large paper and pulp mill under the Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.

12. Shareholder disputes arising from an international joint venture contract for the manufacture of concrete poles and piles, held under Rules of the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration.

13. Disputes arising from the termination of distributorship rights for an international supplier of luxury motor vehicles under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules.

14. Design and construction of chilled water loop systems for the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

15. Design and construction of fire water loop system for the KLIA.

16. Disputes arising from a contract for management of a hotel.

17. Disputes arising from the termination of distributorship rights for leading international producer of sanitary ware.

18. Disputes arising from the design and construction of an ammonia plant.

19. Disputes arising from the design and construction of a tensar wall.

20. Disputes arising from settlement caused by piling works.

21. Disputes arising from building and construction of a mixed development project.

Y. Bhg. Dato’ Haji Abu Kassim bin Mohamed will be addressing the Conference on the subject:

“Challenges Ahead for MACC”

Mr. Dato’ Sri Abu Kassim bin Mohamed is Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
After his studies in Bachelor in Social Science at Malaysia Science University, Penang, in 1984 he began his career as Investigation Officer at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and in the year 1989 he continue his studies in Criminal Justice at the Michigan State University, United States. He made his way up from an Investigation officer in 1984 to the Director of the Planning and Policy Coordination Division in 1999. He then moved on to become the Director of Anti-Corruption Agency for the state of Perak in the year 2000 and state of Penang in the year of 2003. In 2005 he was appointed as Director of the newly establish Malaysian Anti Corruption Academy (MACA). He was the Director of MACA until Mac 2006 before being appointed as Chief Integrity Officer at Amanah Raya Berhad. In 2007 he was appointed Deputy Director General I of ACA. In 2009, he took responsibility as Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Dato Abu Kassim Bin Mohamed was appointed to his current position as Chief Commissioner of MACC on the 1st of January 2010.
Besides his remarkable career progression he participated in numerous anti-corruption activities and networks. He is member of the INTERPOL Group of Experts on Corruption (IGEC) since 1997. He is furthermore involved in the process of preparing the Code of Ethics for Law enforcement, a Best Practices Guide for Interpol members and the Global Standard to Combat Corruption in Police Services. Mr. Abu Kassim presented numerous working papers relating to the fight against corruption, inter alia “The Fight Against Corruption: A Collaborative Approach Between MACC and MACA in Combating Corruption” which was introduced at the 78th General Assembly Session in Singapore in 2009.
Mr. Abu Kassim is also engaged in the academic field. He is currently an Advisory Panel to Faculty of Social Science and Industrial Studies at the University Industry Selangor (UNISEL). Besides being member of the International Academic Advisory Board of the International Anti-Corruption Academy of Vienna he is also a Board of Director of the Institute Integrity of Malaysia and a member of Advisory Panel for Malaysia Company Commission Training Academy.

Tun Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Mohamad will be addressing the Conference on the subject:

“The Interface between Sha’riah and the Legal System in Islamic Finance- Recent Developments”

Dilahirkan pada 18.4.1942 di Permatang Tinggi Bakar Bata, Kepala Batas, Seberang Perai, Pulau Pinang.

Mendapat pendidikan awal di:
- Sekolah Melayu Paya Keladi, Kepala Batas, Seberang Perai;
- St. Mark’s Branch School, Perai, Seberang Perai;
- St. Mark’s Secondary School, Butterworth, Seberang Perai;
- St. Xavier’s Institution, Pulau Pinang.

Pada tahun1965, melanjutkan pelajaran di University of Singapore dalam jurusan undang-undang dan dalam tahun1969 mendapat ijazah LL.B (Hon.).

Pada 11.6.1969 memasuki Perkhidmatan Kehakiman dan Perundangan. Dalam tempoh 21 tahun dalam perkhidmatan itu, menjawat jawatan-jawatan:
- Majistret di Kangar, Perlis dan Tapah, Perak;
- Yang Dipertua Mahkamah Sesyen, Sungai Patani, Kedah dan Kuala Kubu Baharu, Selangor;
- Penolong Pengarah Biro Bantuan Guaman, Kedah dan Perlis;
- Timbalan Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya;
- Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri Kelantan dan Perak;
- Peguam Kanan Persekutuan Jabatan Hasil Dalam Negeri;
- Ketua Bahagian Pendakwaan (Jenayah) di Jabatan Peguam Negara.

Pada 1.5.1990 dilantik menjadi Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman dan ditempatkan di Mahkamah Tinggi Pulau Pinang.

Pada 1.3.1992 dilantik menjadi Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi dan terus bertugas di Pulau Pinang. Pada 16.10.1999 ditukarkan ke Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur.

Pada 1.9.2000 dilantik menjadi Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia.

Pada 1.8.2003 dilantik menjadi Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia.

Pada 1.4.2007 dilantik menjadi Hakim Mahkamah Khas di bawah Perkara 182(1) Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk tempoh selama dua tahun (1.4.2007 – 31.3.2009)

Pada 5.9.2007 dilantik menjadi Presiden, Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia.

Pada 1.11.2007dilantik menjadi Ketua Hakim Negara, Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia. Bersara pada 18.10.2008.

Pernah memegang jawatan-jawatan, antara lain:
- Setiausaha Asean Law Association (Malaysia);
- Penolong Setiausaha Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society;
- Presiden Persatuan Memancing Pulau Pinang;
- Ahli Panel Hakim-Hakim Mahkamah Rayuan Syariah Negeri Pulau Pinang;
- Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Teknikal Undang-Undang Syarak dan Sivil Negeri Pulau Pinang;
- Ahli Jawatankuasa Teknikal Undang-Undang Syarak dan Sivil di bawah Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM);
- Ahli Panel Hakim Peraduan Penulisan Artikel Ilmiah Undang-Undang Perbandingan (Syarak dan Sivil) anjuran Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM);
- Pengerusi, Lembaga Tatatertib Peguam-Peguam Malaya;
- Presiden Persatuan Memancing Malaysia.

Pada masa ini menjadi:
- Ahli, Suruhanjaya Pelantikan Kehakiman Malaysia;
- Ahli Majlis Penasihat Syariah Untuk Perbankan Islam dan Takaful, Bank Negara Malaysia;
- Ahli Majlis Penasihat Syariah, Suruhanjaya Sekuriti, Ma;aysia;
- Ahli Lembaga Pembelajaran Program LL.B, Kulliyah Undang-Undang Ahmad Ibrahim, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia;
- Ahli Lembaga Pembelajaran Program LLM Undang-Undang Antara Bangsa, Kulliyah Undang-Undang Ahmad Ibrahim, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia;
- Ahli The Ethisphere Global Anti-Corruption Quotient
Methodology Advisory Committee yang beribu pejabat di
Amerika Syarikat.

Telah menulis 567 penghakiman lengkap yang terdiri daripada 475 penghakiman Mahkamah Tinggi, satu penghakiman Mahkamah Ruyan Syariah Negeri Pulau Pinang, 53 penghakiman Mahkamah Rayuan, 38 penghakiman Mahkamah Persekutuan dan satu penghakiman Mahkamah Khas mengenai pelbagai persoalan undang-undang. Penghakiman-penghakiman itu disiarkan oleh jernal-jernal undang-undang di Malaysia.

Telah menyampaikan lebih daripada 100 ucapan dan kertas kerja di seminar-seminar dan persidangan-persidangan di peringkat negeri, kebangsaan dan antarabangsa.

Antara kertas-kertas kerja, artikel dan syarahan yang telah disiarkan termasuk:
- “Sistem Kehakiman Dan Perundangan Di Malaysia: Satu Wawasan” (2001) 4 M.L.J. clxxx;
- “Civil And Shariah Courts In Malaysia: Conflict Of Jurisdictions”
(2002) 1 M.L.J. cxxx;
- “Administration Of Property: A Civil Law And Shari’ah Law
Perspective” (2002) 3 M.L.J. I;
- “Bidangkuasa Mahkamah Sivil Dalam Pentadbiran Harta Amanah
Di Malaysia” (disiarkan dalam buku “Harta Amanah Orang Islam
di Malaysia, Penerbit Universiti Malaya 2006);
- “Angling And The Law” (Rod and Line, Disember 1996 dan
Januari dan Februari 1997.)

Antara kertas kerja yang pernah dibentangkan di seminar-seminar, persidangan-persidangan dan muzakarah termasuk yang bertajuk:
- “Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments In Malaysia” di Persidangan ASEAN Law Association di Manila, Philippines (1980);
- “Kearah Keberkesanan Jaksa Pendamai Menjalankan Tugas Dan Tanggungjawabnya” di Ipoh, Perak (1993);
- “Kearah Common Law Malaysia” di Persidangan Pegawai-Pegawai Perundangan Malaysia di Pulau Pinang (1993);
- “Actions And Remedies For Dealing In Infringement Of Intellectual Property Rights”, anjuran W.I.P.O. di bawah naungan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu di New Delhi;
- Legislative Requirements and Constrains In Sports Fishing” di Seminar Angling and Eco-Tourism: Synergy and Sustainability di Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (1997);
- “Penguatkuasaan Dan Pelaksanaan Perintah Di Mahkamah Sivil” di Persidangan Tahunan Pegawai Syariah Se Malaysia (2000);
- “Pelaksanaan Dan Penguatkuasaan Penghakiman Mahkamah Syariah: Halangan Dan Penyelesaian” di Institut Latihan Islam Malaysia (ILIM) (2001);
- Kedudukan Islam Dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia: Kesannya Kepada Pembangunan Negera” di Seminar Memahami Malaysia Sebagai Sebuah Negara Islam anjuran Kerajaan Negeri Selangor dan IKIM di Shah Alam (2002);
- “Dispute Resolution For Islamic Business And Finance Cases: The Way Forward” di Muzakarah Towards the Promulgation of a More Comprehensive Islamic Business and Banking anjuran IKIM (2003) dan kepada ahli-ahli Persatuan Institusi Perbankan Islam Malaysia (Mei, 2003);
- “Perspektif Rayuan Dari Mahkamah Sivil Terhadap Pengurusan Kes-Kes Rayuan Di Mahkamah Syariah: Syor dan Pandangan” di Multaqa Hakim-Hakim Syariah Seluruh Malaysia (Ogos 2003);
- “Administration of Justice: Time for a Paradigm Change?” di Seminar Hak Asasi Manusia 2003 Malaysia anjuran SUHAKAM (September 2003);
- “Harmonization of Shariah and Civil Law in Malaysia: Present Reality and Future Actions” di Persidangan Antarabangsa Pengharmonian Undang-Undang Shariah dan Sivil anjuran Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (Oktober 2003);
- Konflik dan Perkongsian Bidangkuasa Mahkamah Sivil dan Mahkamah Syariah Mengenai Pengurusan Aset dan Pentadbiran Harta Pesaka Orang Islam dan Wakaf di Malaysia di Kolokium Pengurusan Aset dan Pentadbiran Harta Pesaka Orang Islam dan Wakaf di Malaysia. (Marriot Hotel, Putrajaya (24 & 25 Mei 2004);
- “Harmonization Of Islamic Law And Civil law: Is It Possible?” di forum Konvensyen Mahasiswa Undang-Undang Kebangsaan di Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia. (25 July 2004);
- “Pemakaian Common Law England dan Kaedah-Kaedah Ekuiti dan Pengahikman-Penghakiman Luar Negara di Malaysia.”, ucapan umum di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (17.9.2004);
- “Tak-Diskriminasi Atas Alasan Gender” di Seminar Hak Asasi Manusia Menurut Perspektif Islam”, anjuran Institut Latihan Kehakiman dan Perundangan (ILKAP) (14.2.2005);
- “Common Law and Islamic Law in Malaysia” di Law School, University of Syracuse, U.S.A. (5 April 2005);
- “Democracy In Practice In Malaysia: Some Observations” di Maxwell School of Government and Citizenship, University of Syracuse, U.S.A. (7 April 2005);
- Opening Address di International Conference on “Harmonization of Shari’ah and Civil law: Towards A Methodology of Harmonization”, anjuran Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia di Pan Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur (29.6.2005);
- “Pengalaman Mahkamah Sivil Mengenai Isu Dan Permasalahan Undang-Undang” di Konvensyen Kehakiman dan Guaman Syar’ie 2005 anjuran Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia, di Hotel Pan Pacific KLIA (13.9.2005);
- “Komuniti Syari’ah: Peranannya Dalam Isu Syari’ah Dan Sivil” di Majlis Pelancaran dan Forum Komuniti Syari’ah, Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia di Hotel Legend, Kuala Lumpur (5.12.2005);
- “Conflict of Civil and Shari’ah Law: Issues and Practical Solutions in Malaysia” di International Seminar on Shari’ah and Common Law 2006 anjuran Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia, Palace of Golden Horses, Kuala Lumpur (20 -21 September 2006);
- “Conflict of Interests Between Different Basic Rights” di Asian Constitutional Court Judges’ Conference anjuran The Supreme Court of the Philippines dan Konrad Adenaur Foundation, Manila. (29 -30 November 2006).
- “Resolving Constitutional Issues: Is Constitutional Court the Answer?” di Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Kedah. (13.8.2007)
- “The Role of Religion in State Affairs: The Malaysian
Perspective” di The Conference on Religion, State and Law in
and Beyond South Asia: Comparative Perspectives, New Delhi,
India 14.02.2008.
- “Should the Industrial Court not be allowed to be what it was intended to be?” di National Employment Law Conference 2008, Kuala Lumpur (4.3.08.)
- “The relationship between the Federal and State Courts in Malaysia” di the International Conference of the Presidents of the Supreme Courts of the World, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. (23 & 24 March 2008).
- “Contemporary problems and challenges of the legal profession and the Judiciary in Malaysia” at College of Law, Government and International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia (30.4.2008).
- “Financial Crimes and Prosecution of Corruption and Related
Crimes” Ucaptama di the International Conference on
Corruption-Free Asia: A long Term Vision at Doha, Qatar, 9 -11-
June 2008.
- Ucapan Perasmian di 4th Asia Pacific Mediation Forum Conference on Mediation in Asia Pacific: Constraints and Challenges di AIKOL, International Islamic University Malaysia, 16 June 2008.
- Ucapan di pelancaran buku “Document of Destiny: the Constitution of the Federation of Malaysia” oleh Prof. Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi. Shangri-la, Putrajaya, 26.6.2008.
- Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Sanhuri Lecture bertajuk “Harmonization of Common Law and Shari’ah in Malaysia: A Practical Approach” di Harvard Law School, U.S.A. (6.11.2008)
- “Changes in the family law from 1950’s to 2008: a Malaysian perspective” di Workshop on “The constitutional judiciary in the Muslim World: its influence on the interpretation of constitutional and legislative texts, 1970 – 2008, Islamic Legal Program, Harvard Law School, 14 November 200 8.
- “East and West have met?”, Workshop on Creating Islamic Judges and Lawyers, National University of Singapore. (6.2.2009).
- Ucapan Peresmian Konvensyen Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia 2009, 15 Jun 2009.
- “Perbankan Islam dan takaful: frum untuk penyelesaian isu-isu syariah”, Muzakarak Ahli-Ahli Majlis Penasihat Syariah Institusi Kewangan Di Malaysia Kali Ke-5, 17-19 Jun2009.

Beberapa kali bertindak sebagai Pemeriksa Luar untuk memeriksa thesis Ph.D untuk Kulliyah Undang-Undang Ahmad Ibrahim, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia.

Telah dikurniakan darjah-darjah kebesaran S.S.M (2008) yang membawa gelaran “Tun”, D.U.P.N (Pulau Pinang) (2008) yang membawa gelaran “Dato’ Seri Utama”, S.P.C.M. (Perak) (2008) yang membawa gelaran “Dato’ Seri”, D.M.P.N. (Pulau Pinang) (1996) yang membawa gelaran “Dato’”, D.P.C.M. (Perak) (1989) yang membawa gelaran “Dato’”, K.M.N. (1978), and P.J.K. (Perlis) (1974).

Berkahwin dengan Datin Hamidah Choong Binti Abdullah dan mempunyai empat orang anak.