Monday 25 May 2015

[Today] More legal aid now, but demand still exceeds supply

I refer to the report “Five full-time lawyers help boost legal-aid scheme” (May 19).
One of the most respected criminal lawyers of our time, the late Mr Subhas Anandan, once said that even “the most heinous offenders deserve their day in a court of law”. The foundations of Singapore’s justice system rest upon the value of equality. No matter what crime has been committed, all accused must be tried fairly and in accordance with the law. This would include them having representation in court, as they may have little to no knowledge of how the legal system functions.
Sadly, it appears that many accused people and even some who are in a way victims themselves (such as those forced into becoming loanshark runners) are unable to afford the often-costly legal fees and, hence, go into court unrepresented. They are at risk of being punished unfairly or even wrongly convicted, where the latter could cost them years of their lives. Such potential miscarriages of justice are unacceptable.
It is thus heartening to read that there are lawyers who are willing to step up and help, and that there are also law firms willing to chip in. This goes to show that the spirit of selflessness is very much alive in the legal community. That the Government helps fund the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) also shows the importance of ensuring those accused receive a fair trial with professional legal representation. The widening of the scope of aid under CLAS will also extend legal aid to a wider range of accused people.
However, even with such aid, demand still exceeds supply. As such, I hope the examples set by these five lawyers, some of Singapore’s top private law firms and even the Government will inspire more to contribute to our community and sign up for pro-bono activities or even take up cases under CLAS. Such efforts may not yield much monetary reward, but they will provide an invaluable sense of satisfaction for those willing to lend a helping hand.