Dear Sir,

As a chess player, I must say that the cover of the January 2002 issue of the Law Gazette (with the prominent heading 'Business Strategies - Making the Right Moves') caused me considerable amusement. Whoever designed the cover must be totally ignorant about the game of chess. I am not even talking about the absurd position of the Black King (in the middle of the chessboard)?! I am referring to the fact that the chess board is placed the wrong way around.

Just to explain, the White King always stands on the 4th square from the right of the board (on the first rank, of course) at the beginning of the game. This square must be a dark square. The Queen stands to the left of the King. In the illustration, the White Queen occupies the square meant for the King (which is shown as a light square). The result is that the King stands to the left of the Queen which is totally wrong. You could never play a proper game of chess in the position shown.

I am taking the trouble to highlight this error only because of the heading on the cover. I find it laughable that an absurd, impossible chess position should be used to illustrate the theme of 'making the right moves'. Committing hara-kiri seems more like it when one sees the advanced position of the Black King in the middle of the board. Even my nephew who is in K2 would have been able to set up a plausible position on the chess board without any problem.

Alexius Chang
Wee Tay & Lim

Our reply:
We stand corrected. Not being chess players ourselves, it was most certainly a wrong move to sneak a move pass our discerning readers. We thank Mr Chang for pointing out the irony. We have truly been checkmated and can only plead artistic license on behalf of our cover designer. Now we know why the Law Society doesn't include chess matches for the Bench and Bar Games!

Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee

Below is a reproduction of a letter from the Young Lawyers Committee of the Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee expressing appreciation to the Law Society for the hospitality shown to the delegation of the National Young Lawyers Committee of the Malaysian Bar Council during a recent visit to Singapore.

Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee
Tingkat 8, Wisma Kraftangan, No. 9 Jalan Tun Perak, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
Phone: 03-26933584/5/26931440 Fax: 03-26911090 Email: klbar@po.jaring.my

Dear Ms Adeline,

Re: Study Tour to Singapore by National Young Lawyers Committee Bar Council Malaysia 1-02-02 to 2-02-02

With reference to the above study tour, I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and a great 'thank you' to yourself and the other members of the Law Society of Singapore, on behalf of the Young Lawyers Committee of the Kuala Lumpur Bar, in making the aforesaid study tour an overwhelming success and a very educational one.

I also thank you for your wonderful hospitality and care shown to us during our visit.

My appreciation also goes out to the following members of the Law Society of Singapore: En Abdul Rahim Bin Kassim; Mr Montague Choy; Mr James Lee; Ms Helen Chia; Mr Colin Kang; and Mr Lincoln Wee.

And also to all the other members who worked very hard to ensure we had a pleasant visit to Singapore.

Finally, the Young Lawyers Committee of the KL Bar extends its warm invitation to the Young Lawyers of the Law Society of Singapore and yourself to Kuala Lumpur during your proposed visit to Malaysia.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,
Sanjeev Kumar Rasiah
Chairman
Young Lawyers Committee