On 17 November 2025, the Government tabled the Legal Profession (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025 (“November Bill”) in the Dewan Rakyat, seeking significant changes to the Legal Profession Act 1976, particularly concerning the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB). Since its establishment, the LPQB has consisted of five members: the Attorney General as Chair, two judges nominated by the Chief Justice, the Chairman of the Bar Council, and a senior academic. However, the LPQB has recently faced scrutiny over the RM55.2 million held in its accounts, prompting Parliament to pass Section 9A in May 2025 to ensure annual audits by the Auditor General.
While supportive of governance improvements, the Malaysian Bar strongly opposes amendments in the November Bill that would allow the Minister for Law to appoint eight out of 13 Board members and remove seven members without providing reasons. The Malaysian Bar warns that such powers would severely compromise the Board’s independence by granting the executive disproportionate influence, reducing judicial and Bar representation to a minority. Further concerns include the Minister’s proposed authority over remuneration and the expansion of the Board and committees, which could deplete LPQB funds and increase costs for law students.
The Bar maintains that the LPQB should be led by the Malaysian Bar, with balanced representation from the judiciary, academics, and the profession, free from political interference. Citing longstanding concerns raised since May 2025, the Bar calls on the Government to uphold the independence of legal education and heed warnings that political control over the profession threatens the administration of justice.