I cannot but agree with David Chong on his views regarding the Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP). This is not an examination to test your knowledge but an examination that has been framed to limit the number of practitioners in the market place.

This is perhaps the reason why the Bar Council is silent in this regard. I would like to plead that this is not determined by an examination. The market place is the final arbiter. Those who are not good enough will fail to make the grade in their practice.

I would also bet my bottom dollar that if students from all the local universities were to sit for the CLP, a vast majority of them will fail. This is where the injustice really hurts. If we want a level-playing field then there should be no exceptions and all should sit for the CLP exams. To exempt the local varsities and to tax the foreign students is discrimination.

I am a CLP graduate of 1989 who did well in the exams, yet, I feel for those who have to go through this discrimination. It is not justice and it is equally unfair. To have a percentage who pass is not the rationale for having an examination.

A good examination is one where people pass because they have a knowledge of the requirements. Why create a hurdle that only a few can cross? Sheer discrimination and bias and this is a bad scar on the Bar Council who are a party to this charade.