Investigation on the controversial leaked of the Certificate of Legal Practice exam intensified as police were seen rummaging through papers and files at the Qualifying Board's office in Menara Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur today.

The policemen were assisted by an unidentified man, in his 20s, who was handcuffed throughout the search. The four policemen and the suspect spent about several hours in the Board's library. The handcuffed man is believed to be one of the clerks at the Board.

At the same time, Attorney-General Ainum Mohd Saaid was in a closed-door meeting with CLP examination director Khalid Yusof, who intermittently went to the library to speak to the policemen.

At about 1pm, the policemen led the handcuffed man out of the office. The man was seen smiling as he left.

Khalid, when asked about the incident refused to comment beyond saying that the AG would be meeting with members of the investigating committee in the same office later in the afternoon.

Ainum became the board's chairperson when she was appointed AG on Jan 1 this year.

Integrity compromised

The investigating committee comprises Bar Council president Mah Weng Kwai, Federal Court Judge Siti Norma Yaakob, High Court Judge Abdul Wahab Patail, chief registrar of the High Court Abdul Wahab Said Ahmad (board secretary) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia associate professor Shamsuddin Suhor.

On Monday, Ainum announced that all students, whether they pass or fail, have to re-sit the examination because the board's 'integrity had been compromised'.

The candidates, who sat for the main exam in July and the supplementary exam last month, are required to re-sit the exams on Jan 21. The results will be released on Feb 28.

The supplementary exam will be held on April 8 and the results released on May 11.

The decision to nullify the exams was made following suspected leaks in the Evidence paper of the supplementary exam.

A check on the July exam answer scripts showed irregularities which led the board to believe that the main paper was also compromised.

Ainum added that the alleged leak is being investigated by the police and the board does not wish to make any further comment.

The committee meeting ended at about 4.30pm and Mah was seen leaving the office in a haste. At about 5pm, reporters were asked to leave the office and a staff told them very sternly that the AG had left.

"But we didn't see her leave," said one of the reporters.

"The AG has left and we are closing now. No one is allowed to wait here," said the female staff.

Apparently, Ainum had slipped out through the back door of the office.

Students disappointed

A student from Ipoh, Lau - who was among half a dozen of students waiting for further development at the Board's headquarters - said that he was disappointed that there was no consideration to reverse the decision to nullify the exams.

"It is the board who is conducting the exams, it is supposed to be fully supervised and there should be no leakage at all. Assume that a leakage had happened, then this is more than an act of negligence on the part of the board. Why punish us?"said Lau.

"In order to maintain the integrity, credibility and reputation of the board, students should not be victimised. The culprits should instead be punished," he added.

Another student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told malaysiakini that 95 percent of students will not re-sit the exams as they have wasted their time and money over the last few months preparing for it.

"This exam is really stressful and we do not intend to go through it again. Some of us are even contemplating suicide. Many of us might just give up wanting to be in the law profession," said the student who hails from Kuala Lumpur.

"Many of us have given up hope not only in this profession but country as well. I am not going to allow my children to take up law," he added.

A female student said she would meet up with lawyers and consult them on possible legal actions to prevent the board from making it compulsory for them to re-sit the exams.

"Other than that, we can only pray to Allah for guidance. We definitely do not want to do the examination again," said the pregnant woman in her mid-20s.

Earlier, a number of students, who were waiting to see Ainum and Khalid, left the office disappointed as both the director and AG were busy with meetings.

Difficult exams

The CLP examination is compulsory for foreign law graduates from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand to qualify as advocates and solicitors in Malaysia.

The examinations, known to be extremely tough, have a passing rate of only about 30 percent.

The examination consists of five papers: General Paper, Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, and Professional Practice.

Candidates are allowed to sit for the examination for up to four times in order to pass all the papers. If they fail any of these papers, they may take the supplementary tests.