When legal consultation is required a lawyer’s fee is always an important factor. Women who are in need may not be able to afford the fees charged by lawyers. The government’s Legal Aid Bureaus provide a means for women to get help without any charges provided they show that their income is low and they cannot afford a lawyer. Women should be aware of their rights; they will be given advice and guidance on their situation if they consult the Legal Aid Bureau.
Applicants must meet certain conditions before they can be assisted by the Legal Aid Bureau. Housewives who do not work and have no income are automatically entitled to legal aid. Women who work must have a yearly net income must exceeding RM3000/= in order to qualify. Net income means after deducting rentals and maintenance for children.
More details can be found by calling the 24 hours legal aid hotline 600 82 7713. A woman with a net income of between RM3000/= and RM13,000/= per year, has to pay a fee of RM300/=. Those whose income is above RM13,000/= per year do not qualify except with the consent of the Minister.
It is also vital that the services of the Legal Aid Bureau be made known to women who may be quite ignorant of such services provided by the government. The Legal Aid Bureau should become more user-friendly and change its image in line with modern trends. People will only go to services which are approachable and friendly. Our society will have fewer problems if only people know more about their rights and claim them. Injustice take places only where there is ignorance. Time must be spent on educating the public on their rights and solutions to their problems. Women will approach the Bureau only if it is visible and the Bureau must make itself more visible by having posters and leaflets at public places like supermarkets and malls.
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