For the first time yesterday, the Legal Profession Qualifying Board has admitted the scandal of marks-tampering in the CLP examinations this year.
The Board secretary, Datuk Abdul Wahab Said said that it was the marks-tampering and not examination paper leaks which was the main reason for the nullification of the July CLP examinations - with a substantial number of irregularities between marks awarded by examiners and those disclosed by the director, with an unspecified number of answer scripts illegally marked up or down.
What is shocking is why the Board had taken so long to lodge a police report on the crime of marks-tampering in the CLP examination when it had no hesitation in lodging police reports on the CLP examination papers leaks - and this calls for a satisfactory explanation by the Board as no police report has yet been lodged.
In Ipoh for the opening of the Perak DAP State 2001 Convention on 18th November 2001, I had called for the revamp of the entire executive staff responsible for the CLP examination, including the dismissal of the CLP examination director Khalid Yusof who must bear the greatest personal responsibility as the Qualifying Board Chairman, Datuk Seri Ainum Mohd Saaid had said that “the general conduct of the examination is all done under the personal supervision of the director of CLP examinations”.
The Bar Council has called for the immediate suspension of Khalid. The Board should explain why up to now, no action has been taken against Khalid.
Although the Legal Board’s decision yesterday to nullify only the October supplementary Evidence paper and to regrade the CLP papers this year has gone a considerable way to alleviate the trauma of the 921 CLP candidates for the past fortnight, it is clear that something is very rotten about the conduct of the CLP examination which must be investigated to its very roots.
For this reason, DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the conduct and credibility of CLP examination, including the exam paper leak and marks- tampering scandals, which must be seriously considered by the Cabinet at its meeting tomorrow.
(27/11/2001)