KUALA LUMPUR: A legal aid booth will be opened at court premises nationwide every first Wednesday of the month to offer the public access to legal assistance.
Malaysian Bar president Karen Cheah Yee Lynn said the initiative, which will begin next week, was aimed at ensuring all people will receive legal advice and representation.
"This is a joint effort between the judiciary and our Bar Council National Legal Aid.
"Great efforts have been made by the Malaysian Bar that impecunious persons should receive legal advice and legal representation.
"From our humble beginnings, there are now 14 Legal Aid Centres in Peninsular Malaysia, catering to each and every state," she said during the official launch of the Bar Council's Legal Aid Day here today.
Also present was Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.
Cheah said more than 124,000 people have been assisted by Legal Aid Centres over the past decade.
Such services were valued at RM120 million, she added.
"Over 2,700 foreigners were assisted by the KL Legal Aid Cenre alone last year.
"These statistics show that there is a real need for legal aid in Malaysia and I am fully confident that the Legal Aid Day programme is another step forward in effectively meeting this need.
"I would like to thank the judiciary for their close partnership in seeing this collaboration come to fruition.
"They are, in effect, opening their doors and providing an important space for members of the public to seek legal assistance," she said.
She added that access to justice is a fundamental right and not a privilege that should be afforded to everyone, without exception.