Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Do Singapore Lawyers Talk To Each Other?

Remember the President of the Law Society, Mr Wong Meng Meng, who was so quick to jump on M Ravi for shooing the pesky reporters out of the his office, writing officially to him and the proprietor of the firm he works at "to seek a full report, on an urgent basis, on what transpired”? Seems like he has an unique sense of priorities.

This time, members of the Law Society (LawSoc), Ravi probably included, are riled by Wong's initiative to provide business class air tickets for council members travelling on business for the society.

Writing in the Law Gazette, Wong gave an account of his 6-hour coach ride to KL for an official engagement, detailing how he and other council members had to endure the "filthy toilets" at the Golden Mile Complex. No, he did not write officially to the proprietor of the firm he made his travel arrangements with "to seek a full report, on an urgent basis, on what transpires" at the convenience stop. Without seeking prior approval, Wong and companions bought airplane tickets for the return journey because "we had suffered far beyond the call of our duty to the Singapore legal profession". His follow up action was to persuade the LawSoc Council to approve business class travel for council members for trips exceeding 5 hours. There's nothing outrageous in the proposal, which is in line with most travel policies of private profit generating companies, except that LawSoc members have to cough up $200 each for their use of the VIP airport lounge toilet facilities. By the way, did anybody notice the legality of the transgression incurred when the lawyers flew without prior official approval?

Association of Criminal Lawyers in Singapore (ACLS) president Subhas Anandan commented, "We do not know how serious the president is... but if he is serious, then we will seriously object." Meanwhile, obviously oblivious to the objections, Wong claims he has "not received any complaints about the new travel policy". It's a sorry state of the Singapore legal profession when lawyers don't talk to each other anymore. Oh, we forgot, this Wong guy communicates only via official correspondence, "to seek a full report, on an urgent basis, on what transpired".

6 comments:

  1. There was a time when lawyers struggled to ensure justice for the common man. Unions and the downtrodden turned to them for help. Scratch the surface of any movement to better our lot in society and you'd find a lawyer. And, yes, lawyers of such calibre are still around.

    As for the current lot in the law society...groan!

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  2. Maybe in the state of his mind, one should be grateful that he did not approve himself for 1st class travel like how our Ministers approve their own range of pay.

    I suppose with the exception of a few very fine lawyers, history has demonstrated to us that lawyers beginning with Chen Shui Bian from Taiwan to our very own Lee Kuan Yew must have been either famous or infamous for some obvious reasons.

    Not forgetting in most people's minds that lawyers also happen to belong to one of the most hated professions on this earth, especially those who either run away with their client's monies or the people's monies.

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  3. Lawyers, like politicians, are humans too hor!

    Facts have shown that when highly qualified people with loose moral go on rampages, the damages are usually more heinous and costly.

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  4. Ehh.. there is Air Asia to KL.. Return trip probably cost last than 1 Biz Class ticket to KL.

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  5. For now...changes to the travelling on behalf for singapore...

    Next sure target...changes to secure over-excessive pay scales for myself too, and never mind if i am super unproductive and just another wayang kangaroo for my pay masters...scums everyone of these...

    So bloody obvious lah what these self deluded self serving buggers or so called lawyers are going for...since all the ministers are doing it...why not us too?

    Glutton self serving Stoopigs...everyone of 'em.

    Except for the valiant few real lawyers who are left...

    frankly speaking, if PAP win this coming GE...more singaporeans with the means will leave.

    No conscience everyone of these pigs.

    No worries...karma will come in spades...the hostile universe out there will do everyone in...

    Don't believe...

    A black hole is forming 50 light years away from the Sol system...and how many years before the Sol system will be turn into so much debris...

    Go find out yourself you lazy self serving "lawyer" of a bum!

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  6. I personally rate the law profession in Singapore at the same level as real estate agents, used car salesman and SAF regulars.

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