30 students and 4 lecturers from the Faculty of Law at SEGi embarked on a transformative visit to the Yayasan Bantuan Guaman Kebangsaan (YBGK) in Kuala Lumpur on 15 August 2023. The delegation was warmly received by key personnel, including Nurakmal Farhan Aziz, Executive Officer, and Madam Noramilia Mohd Saad, the Manager of the National Legal Aid Foundation.
YBGK, established with a noble purpose, focuses on providing legal assistance to those financially constrained individuals caught in the criminal justice system. Shockingly, statistics indicate that approximately 80% of accused persons facing criminal charges are unrepresented in court due to financial limitations (YBGK official website). This lack of representation compromises their defence and undermines the principles of equal and fair justice.
The foundation operates pro bono, exclusively handling criminal matters and extending legal aid to Malaysian citizens at crucial stages such as arrest, remand, and bail application. To ensure fairness, YBGK conducts a means test, with an annual income threshold of not more than RM 36,000.00, to determine eligibility for legal representation at trial (YBGK official guidelines).
In a legal landscape where hourly fees for lawyers range between RM150 and RM600, YBGK bridges a crucial gap. This initiative rectifies a systemic loophole, ensuring that citizens from all walks of life have equal and fair access to justice, aligning with the foundational legal principle that “All people will be presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Without YBGK, marginalised citizens—unable to afford legal fees—would be left on the fringes of the justice system. This visit by SEGi underscores the institution’s commitment to producing socially conscious legal professionals. It aligns with YBGK’s mission to uphold the legal system’s integrity for all citizens’ benefit. The collaboration between SEGi and YBGK stands as a beacon of hope in pursuing justice for every Malaysian, regardless of their financial background, fostering a society built on fairness and equality.
