Circular No 028/2017
Dated 13 Feb 2017

Report on Continuing Professional Development (Part 3) | 
Participation of Members in the CPD Scheme

At the 70th Annual General Meeting of the Malaysian Bar (“AGM”) on 19 Mar 2016, Members of the Bar adopted a resolution making the Continuing Professional Development (“CPD”) Scheme mandatory for Members, to take effect on a staggered basis.  With effect from 1 July 2016, Members admitted to the Bar from 1 July 2011 onwards are required to obtain 16 CPD points for each 24-month CPD cycle, and pupils who commenced their pupillage from 1 July 2016 onwards are required to obtain eight CPD points in the course of their pupillage.

This is the third of a series of four reports regarding the progress of the mandatory CPD Scheme in the current CPD cycle, which runs from 1 July 2016 until 30 June 2018 (“CPD Cycle #3”).  This report provides information regarding the participation of Members in the CPD Scheme, and the CPD points awarded, for the first six months of CPD Cycle #3 that have been completed.

The first and second reports are contained in Circular No 004/2017 entitled “Report on Continuing Professional Development (Part 1) | CPD Training Events”, dated 6 Jan 2017, and Circular No 006/2017 entitled “Report on Continuing Professional Development (Part 2) | CPD Camps”, dated 17 Jan 2017, respectively.

During the first two CPD cycles (1 July 2012 to 30 June 2014, and 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016, respectively), the CPD Scheme was implemented on a voluntary basis, pursuant to a resolution adopted at the 66th AGM on 10 Mar 2012.

Overall Member Participation in the CPD Scheme

The table below contains data on the level of participation of Members in CPD training activities, as well as the CPD points awarded, based on 280 out of 389 events during the first six months of CPD Cycle #3, ie from 1 July 2016 to 31 Dec 2016.  

For comparative purposes, the information in the table below includes data (pro-rated) in respect of 956 out of 1,134 events held during the second CPD Cycle (“CPD Cycle #2”), which was from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016.

All the figures displayed below are based on data received from organisers and updated in our database, as at 6 Feb 2017.

The number of Members who participated in the first six months of CPD Cycle #3 was 5,743, representing 32.89% of the total membership of the Bar, which stood at 17,460 on 31 Dec 2016.

By comparison, 6,678 Members (pro-rated) participated in CPD Cycle #2, representing 40.92% of the total membership of the Bar, which stood at 16,321 on 31 Dec 2014.

Participation in the CPD Scheme by Members Admitted to the Bar from 1 July 2011 Onwards

The table below contains data on the level of participation in CPD training activities, of only Members admitted to the Bar from 1 July 2011 onwards (ie Members who fall within the mandatory CPD Scheme), as well as the CPD points awarded.  The data is based on 280 out of 389 events during the first six months of CPD Cycle #3, ie from 1 July 2016 to 31 Dec 2016.  

All the figures displayed below are based on data received from organisers and updated in our database, as at 6 Feb 2017.

Thank you.

Richard Wee Thiam Seng
Chairperson
Professional Standards and Development Committee