updated version

The Legal Profession Qualifying Board today failed to reach a decision on whether to rescinded its annulment of the Certificate in Legal Practice examinations' results after a marathon 12-hour meeting.

At 10.30pm, an official emerged from the Qualifying Board office in Menara Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur to tell waiting students and journalists that there would be no announcement tonight, despite having informed them earlier that a decision would made by 10pm.

"I was asked by the board to inform you that they are not ready to issue a press statement or release any information (on the matter)," he said.

According to the official, the board was still meeting and that an announcement would be made at a later date. However, he did not say exactly when the board would reach a decision.

The six-member board was meeting to consider the appeals from students and the Bar Council, who called for its decision to nullify the CLP exams be reversed.

The meeting today came after two weeks of uncertainty, especially among successful candidates who have already begun chambering, the first step to becoming full-fledge lawyers.

About 80 affected students kept a vigil outside the board office since 10 this morning as board members met inside.

They reacted angrily when told that there would be no news on the fate of the CLP exams' results tonight.

"We want to know what the board is doing," some chanted.

A student told malaysiakini that the board should be keeping them informed on the issue.

"Why doesn't Ainum come one and explain to us?" asked another outraged student. He was referring to Attorney-General Ainum Mohd Saaid, the chair of the Qualifying Board.

Stiff opposition

On Nov 12, the board announced the annulment of the July main CLP examination and October supplementary examination results after reports of possible leaks in both examinations.

According to the board, the integrity of the examinations may have been compromised.

The 900-odd students were asked to resit of the main examination on Jan 21 and a supplementary examination on April 8.

Last week, the police said the case was solved with the arrest of two clerks of the examination board and several other graduates who possessed the leaked papers.

The board's decision was strenuously opposed by the affected students and the Bar Council, which yesterday voted overwhelmingly against the annulment of the results.

Bar Council chairman Mah Weng Kwai, who is a member of the board, has come under intense criticisms for defending the board's decision.

Other members of the board are Federal Court judge Siti Norma Yaakob, High Court judge Abdul Wahab Patail, Federal Court chief registrar Abdul Wahab Said Ahmad and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Assoc Prof Shamsuddin Suhor.

Tough exam

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.

Previous examinations have shown a passing rate of only about 30 percent. Some 900 students sat for this year's CLP examination and only 232 passed.

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.