Hectic BVC
What a hectic week it has been for me. I registered for my new course, the Bar Vocational Course (BVC) on Monday and almost immediately (in fact, two hours later), we had to attend our first lecture. We had to pay for 500 pounds worth of books and materials, and it shows. Over the course of the first three days, we where given about 8 or 9 bags full of books and materials necessary for our course. Our timetable usually runs from 9am to 5pm. There was a very strict 90 percent attendance requirement. Punctuality was stressed again and again. It all looked pretty overwhelming and I must say that I am rather daunted with the prospects of the course.
As the week went by however, things somehow managed to work themselves out. My initial worry of not being able to wake up in time, especially because I did not have time to adjust to the time here in the UK, was relatively unfounded. I got to my classes in time, which was a relief. Waking up early was never a strong point.
It is a heavy course, however. Not so much the substantive part of things, but more towards the procedural side of it. So far, we’re learning how to research cases, how to speak in front of public, how to put in an action in either the civil or criminal courts and stuff like that. I guess it was a nice change, to a certain extant, from having to learn about the law itself. Here, we’re not learning law, we’re really learning how to become lawyers.
My course mates are friendly enough. There’s quite a range of characters involved in this course, some of them much, much older than me. There is this 55 year old former policeman, who is older than even my father. I just wonder whether later on, when we actually have to be on opposite sides for our assessments, this would pose a problem for me. I generally am not use to arguing, or even disagreeing openly, to an older person. Maybe it’s something that I’ll just have to get used to.
One thing’s for sure, this academic year will not be like last. I will have less time for my personal life, and I regret to say that my girlfriend will be in the direct receiving end of this change. But I know that she understands.
Future plans
For all intent and purposes, this will be my last year of study. In fact, our lecturers have already drilled home to us that we should treat the BVC as not our last year of study, but in fact the start of our practicing life. With that, it is inevitable that I would start thinking about my future.
Of course, in an ideal world, I’d like to get a pupilage here and practice as a barrister for a few years in the UK. Maybe for one or two years, make some money and gaining some experience in the process. Yet, the reality is that it is very difficult to get such pupilage here. Out of the 60 plus students that did the BVC last year, only 7 people managed to get pupilage. Not a very promising return. And from what I heard, even if one becomes a qualified barrister here, one would still need to undergo chambering once one returns to Malaysia.
Thus, my mind is leaning very much towards going back to Malaysia after this is over. Sure, I’ll perhaps try to secure pupilage here, and maybe I can also work for companies as a legal advisor, but right now, I think the best course of action for me is to return. For even if I do manage to get work here, I do not intend to settle in the UK, and my ultimate destination is the motherland. Thus, it would just be better for me to get started in Malaysia as soon as possible. I need to start from the bottom anyways, might as well do it in my own country and the place where I ultimately hope to make a name for myself in.
Of course, these are still early days. My opinions might change, the situation might change, who knows? One can only plan, it is He who decides.
Settling issues
I hope no one takes offence to what I’m about to say, but I just cannot understand why a Malaysian would want to settle here in the UK. Sure, I can understand working here for a few years, making money and gaining experience, but what I can’t comprehend is actually migrating to the UK. I mean, at the end of the day, Malaysia is our country. Ours. Our own. Sure, like I said before, there are things that could be improved, and I can perhaps imagine that the whole bumiputera thing may be something that people might not agree upon, but seriously, it is not that a bad country, not by a long mile. Yeah, there are some truly wonderful things in the UK for example, corruption here is not as apparent as it was back home and the newspapers at least try to be independent. But I cannot call this place my home, not because of anything inherently wrong here, just the simple fact that it is not my country. I will always be a foreigner here.
Money could not be the reason. One can get rich anywhere in the world, one just needs to work hard enough. And while on one hand I might not agree entirely with the bumiputera thing, on the other hand I do not see it as a reason to abandon the country entirely. There are enough non-bumis doing well for themselves for me to conclude this.
Whatever the reasons may be, we mustn’t just completely abandon Malaysia. Why don’t we make it a challenge to correct the ‘wrongs’ in the country? If we think a politician is corrupt, don’t vote for him. If we think that a policy is defunct, get into politics and change it. If we think that civil servants are inefficient, get a hold of the government sector and improve the efficiency. If the economy is not doing well, then let’s together stimulate it. If we believe that the press is not independent, then make a lot of money and buy over the newspaper from the government or something. The point I’m making is that whatever the ‘deficiencies’ of the country, they can be rectified, they can be changed, they can be improved. We’re young, we’re the future.
Actually, I do not know why I am writing this. It’s not as if I know a lot of people who wants to settle here, it’s just one or two. Almost everyone I know is planning to return to Malaysia, and build their life there. Perhaps I’m just a young idealist, who sees bright things in our country, and wishes Malaysia to realise it’s full potential. We’ve got some seriously bright minds coming from our country and being the young idealist that I am, I want this to translate into something great for the nation.
Pulanglah, anak-anak Malaysia. The motherland needs you.
