KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — The RM10 million allocation to the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will enable more people to get free legal services in their claim for justice.
A woman, who requested to be identified only as Raidah, 42, said the accused from less affordable families mostly needed the service of the legal aid foundation to help them get justice.
“By using this legal service, the family does not need to spend money to appoint a lawyer, hence, will help to ease their burden in forking out the bail money,” she said when met by Bernama at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex, earlier today.
Raidah was at the court to act as surety for a younger brother, who is facing a drug charge.
It will also motivate the lawyers to represent the accused on a pro bono basis, she added.
Anwar announced the allocation when speaking at the International Malaysia Law Conference 2023, which also took place today.
He said the allocation is to help those who cannot afford to hire lawyers to engage a legal counsel, so they can be represented in court.
According to the Prime Minister, since the beginning of the YBGK operations in 2012, this model has seen hundreds of thousands of persons being represented in criminal proceedings.
A clerk, known as Fuad, said regarded the additional allocation as a very good initiative that would bring relief to the families of the accused.
“All citizens, regardless of their background, have the right to be represented by a lawyer in court proceedings to demand justice. With this provision, YBGK can defend more those from the less affordable families,” he said.
Housewife, Aina, 51, said the allocation would help the less fortunate, especially those from remote areas.
“I am from Sabah and do not have enough money to hire a lawyer. With this announcement, it can help people like me to get proper justice,” said the woman, who is in court for his son’s trial for cheating.
Another person interviewed, S. Kumar, 40, said the government’s move would be an improvement to YBGK, considering that only via the foundation can those get free service to get justice in court.
“I think more should be done to highlight YBGK’s free legal services because there are still people who do not know the existence of the foundation and that it provides free legal service,” said the e-hailing driver.
Meanwhile, lawyer Syahidah Ismail said the additional allocation provided by the government to the foundation will open more opportunities for more lawyers to volunteer to provide free legal service to the community.
— Bernama
