Let us handle our own affairs, say Sabah and Sarawak legal fraternities KOTA KINABALU: The legal fraternities in Sabah and Sarawak are against the extension of the Legal Profession Act (LPA) 2019 to both states. The Sabah Law Society (SLS) and the Advocates Association of Sarawak (AAS) said they are able to handle their own legal matters. They said they oppose the provisions concerning both the extension of the LPA 2019 and the repeal of the Advocates Ordinances in Sabah and Sarawak — known as the extension and repeal provisions — as contained in the draft Legal Profession Bill 2019. “While we recognise that the existing LPA 1976 contains identical extension and repeal provisions, both the SLS and AAS are of the view that such extension and repeal provisions should not be included in this current LPA Bill or any future or similar legislation,” they said in a joint statement. “The SLS and AAS were not consulted on the LPA Bill. “Our position is to collectively and unreserv...