IN THE DRIVING SEAT

Greetings!

First of all I wish to place on record, my thanks to all the members of the Perak Bar for allowing me to serve as the Chairman for the Perak Bar for the ensuing year. As such, in return for this honour that you have bestowed me, I pledge that I will do my utmost to ensure that the interests of the members of the Perak Bar will be taken care off.

I must state that, this year, the committee that you have elected is a committee made up of capable members, some of whom have served on the committee before and some who are now part of the committee for the first time. I am assured by the great enthusiasm they have shown, in the manner that they have gone about in discharging their duties so far, that they will discharge their duties well for the benefit of the members of the Perak Bar.

Over the last four months that this Committee has been office, the State of Perak and the members of the Perak Bar have seen changes that one would never have imagined. Firstly, an opposition state assembly. Secondly, an opposition state assembly which contains a large number of members of the Perak Bar. Thirdly, a State EXCO which is made up of not less than 4 lawyers (former lawyers due to their present positions). We live in exciting times indeed! As such this Perak Bar Committee is doing all that is necessary to tap this opportunity that has been given, by giving the present State Assembly all the support that it requires in order to address the issues that the State and we as members of the Perak Bar face in our everyday legal careers. We hope this offer will be taken up by the State assembly.

On a more solemn note, I wish to thank Cik Dara Waheda for all the hard work and effort that she has put into her tasks for the Committee and for the members of the Perak Bar. Cik Dara Waheda, for your information, has decided for her own personal reasons, to resign from the State Bar Committee. I personally, wish her well in her future undertakings and hope that she will find it in herself to assist us in our future undertakings for the good of the Perak Bar.

As you have seen, from the circulars, the Perak Bar Committee has decided to co-opt Pn Nur Ashikin Binti Abdul Rahman who will now be in charge of Conveyancing.

On a lighter note, The Perak Bar Committee has also lined up a few social events, such as a family outing to the Sunway Lost World Theme Park on the 21^st of June 2007. I am verily informed that there will be other such events organised in the future.

I am also informed that the Perak- Penang Bar Games are on schedule and unfortunately as some of you may have been informed the games will NOT be held in Cameron Highlands but in Ipoh. Unfortunately we were not able to cater for venues for certain games in Cameron Highlands and other logistical issues which we could not compromise on.

I also wish to state that the Perak Bar Committee can only organize these events, the success of these events will depend wholly on the support and participation of the members of the Perak Bar. As such I humbly urge each and every one of you to please take an active role and join these events in order to make it a success.

I do hope, if all goes well, I will be able to make a monthly contribution to update the members of the Perak Bar as to the goings on of the Committee.

Thank you.

Shan Theivanthiran.