Legal aid for criminal cases except involving death sentence

Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=653278
KUALA LUMPUR (March 19, 2012): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said the National Legal Aid Foundation (NLAF) will provide legal aid for all types of crimes except those which warrant the death penalty.
He said this is because the court provides legal services to the accused by an assigned council for such cases.
"Legal aid and counseling on criminal matters will be given to Malaysians who need it during arrest, remand/detainment and application for bail without income limit. "However, a capability test will be conducted to determine the recipient's eligibility for the hearing and appeal in court," he said in a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) in Parliament today.
Najib said NLAF services will be given to Malaysian citizens who meet the requirements after undergoing the capability test. Those with an annual income of not more than RM25,000 will be given free legal aid, while those earning more than RM25,000 a year but less than RM36,000 will be imposed a RM300 fee.
The foundation was corporatised on Jan 25 last year as a charitable company under the Companies Act (Act 125) and is expected to begin operations by month-end.
Najib said when a citizen is arrested for a criminal offence, the enforcement agency will contact the State Legal Aid Centre under the Bar Council, Sabah Law Association and the Advocates' Association of Sarawak to obtain legal services registered with the foundation.
NLAF lawyers will be paid according to the service they render based on a payment scale set by the foundation. The payment scale can be obtained from NLAF's website www.ybgk.org.my. – Bernama
Related news: Means test for legal aid service http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/means-test-for-legal-aid-service-1.63177