KUALA LUMPUR: Transitional arrangements for candidates who have yet to pass the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) examination remain under review as Malaysia prepares to introduce the New Bar Course (NBC) to replace the existing qualification system.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the NBC Task Force was examining arrangements for candidates who had failed or obtained conditional passes, including those with remaining examination attempts or valid registration periods.
“The NBC Task Force is currently studying and examining all matters relating to the transition from the CLP examination to the NBC, including policies concerning candidates who have yet to pass or have obtained conditional passes.
“This is to ensure that the transition does not adversely affect these candidates.
“The matter will be considered by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) once the task force completes its study,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Kulasegaran was responding to a question from Dr Sivakumar Varatharaju Naidu (PH-Batu Gajah), who sought clarification on the new course’s structure, assessment methods and arrangements for existing CLP candidates.
In a supplementary question, Sivakumar raised concerns over the low passing rate, citing figures showing that only 158 of 826 candidates, or 19%, obtained full passes in the 2026 examination, compared with 21% in 2025.
Kulasegaran dismissed suggestions that the examination operated under a passing quota, stressing that candidates were assessed solely on merit.
“There is absolutely no quota.
“The passing mark for each CLP subject is only 40 marks, and no passing quota has been imposed. Candidates are assessed entirely on merit,” he said.
He explained that the 2026 figures covered only the main examination, with the supplementary examination scheduled for Oct 21.
The overall results would be released in November, after the board had approved the supplementary examination results.
Addressing the low passing rate, Kulasegaran said many candidates were overseas law graduates who had studied common law in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand but lacked sufficient preparation in Malaysian law.
“Candidates were also found unable to identify the legal issues raised in examination questions and apply the relevant laws to the facts presented,” he said.
Under the proposed NBC, candidates would undergo a three-month Conversion Course (CC) and a six-month Legal Practice Postgraduate Certificate (LPPC), depending on their qualifications.
The CC, intended for eligible overseas graduates, would comprise five self-study modules assessed online through multiple-choice and extended multiple-choice questions. Eligible local graduates who had studied Malaysian law could proceed directly to the LPPC.
The LPPC would focus on practical legal skills through five modules incorporating written assessments, as well as face-to-face and oral competency assessments.
Unlike the existing CLP, which relies on written examinations without compulsory preparatory courses, the NBC would place greater emphasis on practical training before candidates begin pupillage.
The task force, established on April 27, is developing the implementation framework. The government has previously indicated that the NBC is expected to be introduced in 2028 or by 2029 at the latest.