Asean Law Association
— 8th General Assembly

The 8th General Assembly of the ASEAN Law Association (‘ALA’) was held from 29 November 2003 to 2 December 2003 at Singapore’s Shangri-La Hotel. The Assembly played host to seven workshops on different topics. These workshops included papers presented by ASEAN delegates, thereby providing for a cross-cultural perspective to the issues discussed and debated. The Assembly was well attended, with 243 delegates from eight out of the 10 ASEAN countries. Despite his busy schedule, HE President S R Nathan graced the occasion by officiating at the Opening Ceremony. The Assembly was chaired by then ALA President, The Right Honourable Tun Dato’ Seri Mohamed Dzaiddin Bin Haji Abdullah, who is also the immediate past Chief Justice of Malaysia. The Assembly received strong support from the Singapore Bench, the Ministry of Law and the AG’s Chambers with the attendance at the Opening Ceremony of the Honourable Chief Justice, the Minister for Law Prof S Jayakumar, AG Chan Sek Keong and Supreme Court Judges. Also present were ASEAN Ambassadors accredited to Singapore and the ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong who also happens to be a graduate of our Law Faculty (Class of 1979). Malaysian Bar Council President Haji Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari and the first woman President of the Malaysian Bar, Puan Hendon Mohamed were also part of the strong Malaysian delegation.  

The Organising Committee was led by former President of the Law Society, TPB Menon. TPB (as he is fondly known) was elected President of the ALA when the General Assembly was last held in Singapore in 1984. Other ALA stalwarts in the Organising Committee included another former President of the Law Society, CR Rajah SC. Chelva also doubled up as master of ceremonies for the social events. Other ALA ‘veterans’ in the Organising Committee included Deborah Barker SC, and Dean Tan Cheng Han SC, International Council of Women’s President Anamah Tan, Low Siew Joon, Chim Hou Yan, Yeow Chee Beng, Nathan Isaac, Jeffrey Chan, Kim Seah and Alvin Tan. 

With his experience as a former Judicial Commissioner and his legendary quick wit, Chelva deftly chaired the first workshop session on ‘Strengthening the Independence and Efficiency of the Judiciary’. Singapore was represented on this workshop by retired Judge of Appeal L P Thean. Other presenters at the Judiciary workshop were Justice Datin Paduka Hayati binte Haji Mohd Salleh from the Brunei High Court, Deputy Chief Justice Dr Paulus Lotulung from Indonesia, lawyer Steven Thiru from Malaysia, Justice Leonardo Quisumbing from the Philippines Supreme Court and Judge Thammanoon Phitayaporn from Thailand.  

Of particular interest to practising lawyers was the workshop on ‘Cross-Border Legal Services in ASEAN under WTO’. The then President of the Law Society of Singapore, Mrs Arfat Selvam, presented an engaging overview of the liberalisation of the Singapore legal market. Workshop participants noted that many ASEAN nations take the view that the right to practise in the local Bar is an adjunct of sovereignty and that many ASEAN countries still prohibit foreign nationals from entry to the local Bar. However, some participants felt that the liberalisation of the legal services sector in ASEAN countries is both desirable as well as inevitable as a consequence of globalisation. The difficulties in achieving this include the diversity of languages and legal systems within ASEAN. One interesting view expressed was that the concerns of the local Bar can be addressed through the conferment of reciprocal practice rights. The full text of the conference papers can be found at the LawNet website (www.lawnet.com.sg under Legal Workbench). 

At the final Plenary Session, The Honourable Justice Chao Hick Tin, the Chairman of ALA (Singapore) was unanimously elected the next President of the ASEAN Law Association and Charles Lim Aeng Cheng, Secretary of ALA (Singapore), was elected the next Secretary-General of ALA.  

In keeping with ASEAN tradition, the General Assembly’s last evening was one to remember, with many a laugh and song to cheer. Each of the ASEAN delegations performed an item on stage, with much support from those in the audience. Justice Dato’ Hashim Yusoff, Malaysian Court of Appeal Judge, set the benchmark for the evening with a solo performance. Not to be outdone, the Barker sisters, Deborah and Carla, performed a duet including a waltz with Nathan Isaac. When the event came to an end, to the dying strains of Auld Lang Syne, many a delegate was heard saying to his neighbour, ‘Till the next Assembly’. 

DPP Christopher de Souza