AMENDMENTS TO RUKUN TETANGGA ACT, LEGAL PROFESSION ACT TABLED FOR FIRST READING

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- The Rukun Tetangga (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Legal Profession (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2025 were tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The bills were each tabled by National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) M. Kulasegaran, with the second reading for both bills scheduled to be tabled during the current sitting.

The bill seeks to amend Section 2 of the Rukun Tetangga Act 2012 (Act 751) by introducing a new definition of "person who has interest", which seeks to stipulate the criteria for determining persons who have interest in a Rukun Tetangga Area.

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The bill also aims to amend paragraph 7(3)(d) of Act 751 by deleting the term "permanent resident" referred to in that paragraph to clarify that only citizens are qualified to be appointed as members of the Rukun Tetangga Area Committee.

In addition, the amendment to subsection 17(1) of Act 751 aims to provide that only residents and persons who have an interest in the Rukun Tetangga Area, and who are citizens, can apply to be members of the Voluntary Patrolling Scheme.

Meanwhile, the amendments to the Legal Profession Act 1976 (Act 166) involve, among other things, Section 4 to clarify the status of the Legal Profession Qualifying Board as a corporate body which has a legal capacity.

In addition, the proposed new section 7A empowers the minister to revoke the appointment of certain members of the Board appointed by the minister and allows a member appointed by the minister to resign as a member of the Board.

The proposed new section 7C provides that the members of the Board shall be paid such allowances and other benefits as may be determined by the Board and approved by the minister.

-- BERNAMA