Circular No 152/2021
Dated 4 May 2021

To Members of the Malaysian Bar and pupils in chambers

Update (4 May 2021) | SOP for Court Users on Prevention of COVID-19
in All Courts Throughout Malaysia

We refer to Circular No 030/2021 entitled “SOP for Court Users on Prevention of COVID-19 in All Courts Throughout Malaysia”, dated 20 Jan 2021.

The Office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia has, via email dated 4 May 2021 (today), reported an incident whereby a witness awaiting the result of his/her COVID-19 swab test had appeared at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on 30 April 2021 to testify.  The witness was subsequently confirmed positive for COVID-19 on 1 May 2021.

As a result, the Chief Justice of Malaysia has instructed that all concerned parties, including Members of the Bar and their clients, comply strictly with the “Tatacara Operasi Standard Pencegahan Wabak COVID-19 di Mahkamah Seluruh Malaysia bagi Pengguna Mahkamah” (“the SOP”).  Attention is drawn to the SOP, page 2, paragraph 4.1, which reads as follows:

“4.       TANGGUNGJAWAB PENGGUNA MAHKAMAH

Pengguna Mahkamah –

4.1       adalah DILARANG untuk hadir ke Mahkamah jika –
(a)       disahkan positif COVID-19;
(b)       suhu badan melebihi 37.5 darjah celsius;
(c)       bergejala seperti demam, batuk, selsema atau sesak nafas;
(d)       merupakan kontak rapat kepada kes positif COVID-19;
(e)       telah dikategorikan sebagai Person Under Investigation (PUI) / Person Under Surveillance (PUS); atau
(f)        telah menjalani ujian calitan (swab test) tetapi belum mendapat keputusan”

Please refer to the following links for further information:

(1) Tatacara Operasi Standard Pencegahan Wabak COVID-19 Di Mahkamah Seluruh Malaysia Bagi Pengguna Mahkamah (see pages 2 to 6);
(2) Infographic on the above-mentioned “Tatacara” (see pages 7 to 9); and
(3) Emails from the Office of the Chief Registrar (see pages 10 to 13).

In addition to observance of the SOP, Members are urged to comply with the guidelines from the Ministry of Health of Malaysia (Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia, “KKM”) and the National Security Council (Majlis Keselamatan Negara, “MKN”).

Shahareen Begum
Secretary
Malaysian Bar

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