LEGAL AID CENTRE SELANGOR (LACS)






1.	About Us


The Legal Aid Centre Selangor (LACS) was initially established to cater for the poor and the needy, ensuring that they had a one-stop centre where they could obtain impartial legal advice and/or representation.  Over the years, the objectives and work of LACS expanded, with education and outreach programmes as well as the public awareness campaigns becoming other key areas of focus.


To achieve our on-going education goals, the LACS runs a series of training programmes for Pupils in Chambers, the primary aim of which  is to instil a sense of social responsibility in our Pupils.  The LACS believes that the effect of these training programmes will be far reaching with ethics forming part of the Pupils’ core values throughout their careers be it in private practice, government legal services or in corporate practice.  LACS also provide training for practising lawyers through various specifically designed programmes. This ensures that LACS has a large pool of volunteers covering different areas of practice such as Family, Criminal and Employment Law. This equips many of the volunteers with additional knowledge and understanding in respect of Judicial Review and the Labour Court.


LACS also organises outreach programmes to educate the public on legal issues, creating legal awareness and raising the profile of LACS.  Outreach programmes have taken the LACS to Orang Asli settlements providing them the opportunity to address a wide variety of legal issues including those related to land, employment, education, registration of births/NRIC as well as social issues.


Additionally LACS runs Law Awareness Programmes on a periodic basis. These programmes have proved to be very popular as demonstrated by the overwhelming response received to the various events held.  This has enabled the LACS to achieve the desired result of increased awareness of individual legal rights and the availability of legal assistance amongst the general public.


Given the rising profile of LACS and the volume of work received, a second Legal Aid Service centre was established in Kuala Selangor in January 2008.


Subsequent to that, in collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, LACS has expanded operations to Bangi in January 2013.


LACS additionally functions as the administrative centre for YBGK which was established in April 2012.





2.	General Information


a)	What we do






Areas that fall within our purview
Areas currently outside our scope






    

  • Criminal
  • Family law
  • Labour/Employment
  • Syariah
  • Public Interest
    • 





    

  • Conveyancing
  • Traffic-  accidents &  fines
  • Offences that potentially carry a death or life sentence
  • Debt collection
  • Bankruptcy
  • Defamation
  • Probate/Letter of Administration
    • 









b)	Are you entitled


To qualify, your monthly income (after deduction of monthly expenses) MUST NOT EXCEED


    

  • RM 500 – for a single person; or
  • RM 900 – for a married couple
    • 



Additionally, you must not own property or have savings exceeding:


    

  • RM 45,000.00 – house
  • RM 10,000.00 – car
  • RM   4,500.00 – motorcycle
  • RM   5,000.00 – saving
    • 



c)	What you need to do


    

  • Visit one of the LACS centres.  Please see the Contacts page for the addresses of our Centres and the opening hours.
  • Please bring along all relevant documents.  This will enable you to gain the maximum benefit from your visit and minimise the need for multiple visits.
    • 



d)	Other information


    

  • LACS staff will interview & offer appropriate advice.
  • LACS staff will check applicant’s entitlement/eligibility (by applying a Means Test).
  • LACS will assist by providing a lawyer to represent eligible applicants.
  • Successful applicants for whom a volunteer lawyer has been found are required to pay a nominal disbursement/processing fee.
  • However no Professional Fees are payable.
    • 









YAYASAN BANTUAN GUAMAN KEBANGSAAN (YBGK)






1.	An  Introduction to YBGK


The National Legal Aid Foundation, or Yayasan Bantuan Guaman Kebangsaan, more commonly known as YBGK was launched on 2nd April 2012 by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.


This was a major milestone for the Bar Council, who have for many years been campaigning tirelessly for such an initiative by the Government. YBGK will go some way in addressing the issue of the lack of legal representation for detained citizens.  Out of the approximately 100,000 citizens arrested annually by the police, 80,000 are not legally represented.  This is an unfortunate statistic when Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution, states that every citizen who is arrested shall be allowed to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice.


The two widely accepted reasons for the lack of legal representation are:

(a) 	the arrested individual is unable to afford the services of legal representation; and

(b) 	the arrested individual does not know his or her legal rights.


YBGK addresses these two issues as its purpose is to assist every detained citizen at every stage of the legal process.  This includes their arrest; their remand proceedings or when they are charged and there is an application for bail following a 'not guilty' plea; and mitigation of sentencing following a 'guilty' plea.


As the aim of YBGK is for the benefit of the general public, the applicants will not be liable for any charge when utilising the services of YBGK.  The lawyers undertaking YGKB services will however receive remuneration in accordance with the number of people they assist.


In the event that the assisted individual requires additional services over and above  that which is outlined above, i.e. if they require a trial lawyer should their matter go to trial, they may engage a lawyer on their own initiative or if they are unable to afford one they may qualify for a volunteer lawyer to be assigned to them.  To qualify for the services of a volunteer lawyer, they must pass a Means Test wherein their annual income must not exceed RM 36,000.00

From April 2012 till December 2014, Selangor YBGK volunteer lawyers have assisted 44,657 citizens at the remand stage and 3,426 citizens at mitigation/bail stages, interviewed 7,072 citizens detained at the respective District Police Stations and about 954 cases were assigned to volunteer lawyers to proceed to trial.


The creation of YBGK is only the first step to ensure that in the event of detention, every citizen obtains legal representation. However the enduring success of this initiative relies on the participation of more lawyers. 


The ultimate goal is for every detained citizen to be legally represented. 





2.	YBGK ONLY HANDLES CRIMINAL MATTERS. 


Free advice and assistance is provided on matters such as arrest, remand, mitigation and bail application. If the service of a volunteer lawyer is required for trial, this will be subject to a Means Test where the individual citizen's earnings must be less than RM3,000 a month or RM36,000.00 annually.


In summary YBGK provides assistance in the following circumstances:


    

  • Arrest
  • Remand
  • Mitigation
  • Bail
  • Trial (subject to a Means Test of  annual income of not more than RM 36,000.00)
    • 







3.	Issues currently outside of YBGK's scope


    

  • Preventive detention (Ex: Emergency Ordinance)
  • Representing non-citizens
  • Traffic fines
  • Offences that potentially carry a death* or life sentence (eg: S.39B Dangerous Drugs Act)
    • 



Death Penalty (39B Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and 302 Penal Code), Fines (Road Transport Act 1987) and Prevention Detention [Dangerous Drugs (special Preventive Measures Act 1985 (Act 316)], the Emergency Ordinance 1969 and the Internal Security Act).


*Suspects who face capital punishment (death penalty) can seek free legal representation from the High Court of Malaysia under the Court-Assigned Counsel Scheme.







Revised Rates of Payment to Lawyers (1 May 2014)






Revised Rates of Payment to Lawyers






OPERATION






Mondays to Fridays - 8.30 a.m to 5.30 p.m






ADDRESS






Bar Council Legal Aid Centre Selangor
No. 41, Jalan Bola Jaring
13/15, Section 13
40100 Shah Alam
Selangor Darul Ehsan

Tel : 03-5510 7007 / 7008
Fax : 03-5510 7009
Email : lacselangor@outlook.com 



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Bar Council Legal Aid Centre Kuala Selangor
No. 32, 1st Floor
Jalan Bendahara, 1/1 Taman Bendahara
45000, Kuala Selangor
Selangor Darul Ehsan

Tel : 03-3281 2428
Fax : 03-3281 2427
Email : legalaidcentrekualaselangor@gmail.com



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