This is the Long Call speech for Charunee A/P Che Ron on 26.04.2024 before Yang Arif Ahmad Kamal Bin Md. Shahid.
Dengan izin Yang Arif,
Saya, Louis Liaw Vern Xien hadir bagi pihak Pempetisyen, Charunee A/P Che Ron. Bersama saya adalah rakan-rakan bijaksana saya yang masing-masing mewakili Yang Berbahagia Peguam Negara Malaysia, Majlis Peguam Malaysia dan Jawatankuasa Peguam Kuala Lumpur yang mana mereka telahpun diperkenalkan kepada Mahkamah.
Dengan rendah diri Yang Arif, saya memohon kebenaran untuk meneruskan hujahan saya dalam Bahasa Inggeris.
May it please your Lordship,
It is with much pleasure and honour that I appear before Your Lordship to move the petition of Charunee A/P Che Ron, the Petitioner.
I would begin by introducing the Petitioner.
The Petitioner was born on 19th October 1999 in Kelantan. The Petitioner comes from a family of strong women, where the Petitioner proudly holds the title of being the youngest of 6 daughters in the family. The Petitioner and her sisters were raised by their lovely parents Mr Che Ron A/L Eh Nir and Mrs Ong Kim Hong, who are present in Court today.
My Lord,
The Petitioner graduated from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), and during her time there, she was named on the Dean’s List for an astounding seven semesters and graduated with a second upper-class Bachelor of Laws degree.
What is even more impressive my lord, was the Petitioner’s participation in numerous extracurricular and extraprofessional activities throughout law school.
The Petitioner completed a total of 5 internships during that time, namely with Messrs Aqma Rozali & Co, Messrs, Benedict Cheang Naziruddin & Co, Experience UK 2021 (a virtual internship), an internship with the Kota Bharu High Court., and most recently with, yours truly, myself. On top of that, the Petitioner participated in a long list of moot events, workshops, competitions, and educational courses.
The Petitioner’s academic achievements and active participation in various activities demonstrate her eagerness to learn and her unyielding enthusiasm for the law, which I submit, are qualities that not only made her an exceptional student, and demonstrate her exemplary character as a person, but will surely serve her well in years to come.
Upon completion of her law degree, the Petitioner commenced her pupillage with Messrs Shukor Baljit & Partners under the guidance of her pupil-master, Ms. Amy Too Siew Mooi, who is a senior lawyer who has been in practice for 29 years. Another remarkable woman, in the life of the Petitioner.
When asked, the Petitioner informed me that she was initially uncertain about which particular area of law she wanted to specialize in, as she was equally eager to explore different areas and to experience all facets of the legal profession.
This was why she chose to read in the chambers of Messrs Shukor Baljit & Partners, as she would be able to, and she in fact did, have the opportunity to experience civil, criminal, and conveyancing practices on a rotational basis. That decision, I was told, was one that she remained grateful till date.
And today, the Petitioner having successfully completed her 9 months of pupillage, as required under Section 11(1)(d) read together with Section 12 of the Legal Profession Act, now stands before this Honorable Court.
On this special occasion, the Petitioner would like to thank a few people who have made this possible.
Firstly, the Petitioner would like to thank her parents, Mr Che Ron and Mrs Ong Kim Hong, and all of her sisters Bupha, Chenchira, Churai, Kwanchit, and Saiphin, who have been both her guiding light and her pillar of strength. Their unconditional love and unwavering support, including in terms of financial support, have been her rock during both the highs and lows of this journey, and today would not have been possible without the same.
My Lord, at this juncture may notice that the Petitioner and family members’ names are quite unique, and that is because they are of Siamese ethnicity, Mr. Che Ron the Petitioner’s father is Siamese, and her mother, Mrs Ong Kim Hong, is Chinese.
So, to her parents. it would be fitting for me to say on behalf of the Petitioner, dengan izin Yang Arif, Ko Kun Krap, which is thank you in Thai.
Next, the Petitioner, would like to extend her deepest appreciation to her pupil-master, Ms. Amy Too Siew Mooi. Her guidance, wisdom, and support have been instrumental in shaping the Petitioner into who she is today, and she believes, has prepared her sufficiently for the future In the Petitioner’s words, “Ms. Amy, thank you for sharing your knowledge with me and for all of your mentorship.”
Next, the Petitioner Petitioner also wishes to acknowledge the incredible support from her colleagues at Shukor Baljit. To all the lawyers and ex-colleagues, especially Amanda, Fatin, Imple, and Baranee, thank you for your camaraderie, and for always being there to lend a helping hand.
Last but not least, the Petitioner would like to express her special thanks to her university mates, namely Ai Wen, Sin Ern, Shao Wei, Yong Jian, Man Hoi, Kai Xiong, and her other seniors.
Finally, I will end on this note, my Lord.
On occasions like these, accolades and achievements tend to grab the spotlight, and are highlighted and celebrated. That is absolutely fair and proper.
However, in my short years of practice, I come to realise that there are other qualities, equally important and required in a lawyer’s career, and they are the qualities of compassion, kindness, and integrity.
I submit that a lawyer must understand that behind every case, behind every legal dispute, lies a human story, brimming with hopes, fears, and dreams. Each client is not merely a file on the desk, but a person in need of guidance, support, and understanding.
I reckon a lawyer must remember that the measure of their worth as legal practitioners lies not only in the number of cases resolved or the accolades received but in the lives touched and the hearts healed.
From the short internship stint that I shared with the Petitioner, I see the Petitioner’s greatest qualities are exactly that, her kindness, her empathy, and her compassion for others.
I say these today not only to acknowledge these qualities that substantiate the Petitioner as a person of good character, as required, under section 11(1)(b) of the Legal Profession Act, but also to remind the Petitioner to not lose sight of them in her career that is about to commence.
My Lord, I submit that the Petitioner has satisfied all the requirements, and is a fit and proper person to be admitted and enrolled as an advocate and solicitor.
I submit that the Petitioner’s cause papers are in order and my learned friends from the Attorney General Chambers, the Bar Council of Malaysia, and the Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee have no objections to her petition.
[The respective representatives do not have any objections]
My Lord, I humbly pray that the Petitioner, Charunee A/P Che Ron be admitted and enrolled as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya.
I seek the court’s permission to inviter the Petitioner’s move to robe the Petitioner.
[The Honourable Court proceeded to admit the Petitioner, Charunee A/P Che Ron as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya.]
Thank you, Charunee, for inviting me to be your mover. Charunee was my former personal intern. For more on legal practice, please read here.