Opening of Legal Year

It was the Opening of the Legal Year yesterday. Such a ceremony is held in many countries practicing the common law system usually in the beginning of the year. In Brunei, it is usually held in the first quarter of each year so the new legal year here begins much later than in other jurisdictions.

The ceremony gives a chance for members of the bench ( the judges) and the bar (the lawyers) to gather together fully robed with wing collars and bands. It has been said that the attire is intended to show a lawyer's importance above mere mortals. To me from afar, they merely look like penguins. The Chief Justice, the Attorney General and the president of the Law Society will give speeches reviewing the achievements of the past year and being lawyers, sometimes engage in some verbal sparring.

Yesterday, the move by UNISSA to introduce a local undergraduate law course was warmly welcomed by the Government and private lawyers. UBD has run the Post graduate diploma on Syariah Law and Legal Practice for many years. With the establishment of UNISSA, unfortunately this course is no longer being offered (I stand corrected on this). I am simply curious about how much local content the new course will offer. Books on Brunei laws are not exactly filling the shelves of bookshops. As far as I know the only Brunei law books are related to syariah law. A typical law course will at least offer Criminal Law, Contract Law, Law of Trusts, Property Law and Administrative Law. And where will the lecturers and tutors come from? So called "knowledgeable persons" in local laws aren't exactly raining down from the sky.

My guess is that initially it will be like the time when I was at school. I was able to draw a map of Australia, Malaysia or Singapore without any problem. On history, I could give details about the emperors of China. But ask me to draw a map of Brunei or talk about Brunei Sultans, then you should look elsewhere.

Let me make this clear. In no way whatsoever do I intend to belittle UNISSA's initiative and I applaud the institution for its effort. I really look forward to our own law graduates with knowledge of local laws as well as the laws of other countries.