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THE government has made its position unequivocally clear in opposing the Anti-Illegal Places of Worship Movement (GARAH) rally, and will not revisit or embellish that stance, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Law and Institutional Reform M Kulasegaran said on Monday.
Speaking during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, Kulasegaran stressed that the government had already taken a clear position on the GARAH assembly and cautioned lawmakers against turning the matter into a political issue.
“Do not politicise this matter here. I did not give advice to those who gathered on Saturday. The government’s position is very clear. I do not want to add anything further,” he said.
Kulasegaran was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut), who asked whether the government had been advised that GARAH’s actions were unlawful.
The exchange later widened into a broader debate after Che Mohamad Zulkifly suggested that the articled clerkship system for legal training should be abolished, arguing that it was no longer relevant.
Kulasegaran said he was taken aback by the proposal, warning that such a move would effectively shut the door on opportunities for people from poorer backgrounds to pursue a legal education.
“The Member for Besut is now very wealthy and has forgotten the poor, those without opportunities. Now that he is a Member of Parliament, he has forgotten,” Kulasegaran said.
He defended the articled clerk system as a long-standing government initiative aimed at widening access to the legal profession, particularly for working youths from underprivileged families.
“This is the government’s aspiration. When we started this in the 1970s, articled clerkships were meant for children who were working, many of whom were poor and struggling. Why should they not be given a chance to study law?” he said.
“Are certain parties afraid of these people, the poor, learning and later becoming capable lawyers?” he added.
The remarks underscored ongoing tensions in Parliament over sensitive issues involving public order, legal reform and social mobility, as the government seeks to balance enforcement of the law with broader goals of national unity and inclusive access to education. - February 9, 2026