Note: Many years ago, on 4.7.2019, I moved the Petitioner’s Master’s call, Encik Ahmad Danial bin Mohd Azlan. Encik Ahmad Danial’s master was Yang Arif Tuan Atan Mustaffa Yussof Ahmad, a High Court Judge in Kuala Lumpur. Yang Arif Tuan Atan was my super senior from Bristol University.
May it please your lordship,
The Petitioner, Nazira binti Abd Salim, was born on 1.12.1997 and hails from Johor Bahru. The Petitioner and I share the same birthday, so I would like to take this opportunity to wish her a happy belated birthday. She will now have two birthdays to celebrate in December – her birth as an individual and her birth as a lawyer.
The Petitioner is the only daughter of Encik Abd Salim bin Ahmad and Puan Narimah binti Ahmad. Both of them are present this morning.
My Lord, aside from our birthdays, the Petitioner and I also share another thing: prior to our study of law, our understanding of legal practice was derived from television shows and movies. The Petitioner told me that, Movies always show the coolest scenarios and actions of people who work in the legal profession. I agree with her observation and wonder how many of us in the profession came to the practice of law misled by such glorious fantasies.
It is fortunate therefore the Petitioner decided to study law because she enjoyed debating and not because she wanted to enact a famous scene from, say, A Few Good Men. My Lord, I have been waiting for years to re-enact the scene when Colonel Jessup was asked in cross-examination whether he ordered code red and began his monologue with the famous line, ‘You can’t handle the truth.’ And I am still waiting. So let this be a warning to those of you that want to re-enact movie scenes in real life, you have to be very patient.
The Petitioner graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and Shariah from the Islamic Science University of Malaysia (‘USIM’). The Shariah dimension of her studies will prove useful to her practice, particularly in estate planning and litigation matters. It will help her to appreciate Shariah issues that pure-civil lawyers are unable to appreciate. Since I began practising Shariah law in 2018, I have been encouraging my civil lawyers to take up syariah practice or at least learn about it so they can be more holistic in their appreciation of matters involving persons that profess the religion of Islam.
My Lord, evidence of the Petitioner’s good character can be found in her honest self-reflection and willingness to change.
She told me how she used to be direct and impatient when she started her pupillage. She said, But having to deal with a variety of people during my pupilage period taught me that negative actions and responses won’t bring any good. So I learned to be more understanding of others. After knowing the importance of communication skills and applying it during my conversation with clients, I learned another valuable lesson which is, in order to not be relentlessly pursued by them, I need to pursue them
first. Her insight into having to inject initiative into her work and being patient and understanding of others is an indication of the Petitioner’s maturity.
The Petitioner cites Norizan bt Hj. Yaakub of Norizan & Associates as her role model; a practitioner with long and broad legal experience. The Petitioner credits her with making her aware that it is not just our legal skills that we need to keep sharp and steady but in other areas too. It is good that the Petitioner was exposed to just how multi-disciplinary we have to be these days to be a helpful lawyer.
The Petitioner speaks highly of her master, Encik Ahmad Danial bin Mohd Azlan, the managing partner of Norizan & Associates. She says, I have a master whose presence and vibe is so calm, I genuinely thank god for that. Conversation is easy with him and I like the way he explains things which is compact and direct to the point. Besides learning laws and legal processes from him, he is a perfect model who shows that with enthusiasm and unfailing efforts, one can achieve anything they want and can be whoever they want to be.’
My Lord, I am glad to hear of that of Encik Ahmad Danial, because I moved his call back in 4th July 2014 and said many laudatory things about him. I am very happy to hear and see that he has fulfilled his potential and continues to do so.
My Lord, in closing, the Petitioner would like to thank the following:
Her family for their unwavering support, encouragement and love. She thanks her brother, Amirul for being her confidant and source of inspiration.
Encik Ahmad Danial, for his guidance, mentorship and knowledge throughout her pupillage.
Cik Norizan Hj Yaakub, for her supervision, mentorship and patience.
The Petitioner’s friends, Syahmi, Jeevan, Ehsan, Auni, Nasreen, Abj, Thiro, Syakirah, Fatin, Hudayas and Sabrina for being there for her and making the tough times bearable.
My Lord, I believe the Petitioner possess the good character required for her to be a fit and proper person to be called to the Bar. I believe the Petitioner’s cause papers are in order.
My learned friends from the Bar, KLBC or AGC have not served on us a notice of objection pursuant to section 16(2) of the Legal Profession Act 1976 which means they are not taking an objection to the Petitioner’s Petition. Interestingly, section 16(4) of the same Act provides that my learned friends need not attend the hearing of today’s petition if they are not taking an objection to the Petition.
In any event, I pray for the Petitioner to be admitted and enrolled as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya.
Called on 16.12.2022.
