Apart from that, Rajsurian is also one of the steering committee member
of the National Legal Aid Foundation, also known as Yayasan Bantuan
Guaman Kebangsaan (YBGK), which provides legal representation for
criminal cases when the persons charged cannot afford a lawyer. Under
YBGK, representation is free for remand proceedings, bail and mitigation.
For trial cases, the person charged has to pass a means test conducted by
YBGK. Rajsurian is one of the volunteer lawyers who attend to remands,
bails, mitigation and take up trial files. He also train other lawyers on legal
aid. He believes strongly that a person is innocent until proven guilty and
should be treated as such. The person should be allowed access to justice
and should not be denied representation merely because the person
cannot afford it.
Human rights work is tough but Rajsurian never saw it as being a letdown.
“Being on my own, nobody discouraged me. Though many have
questioned why am I doing so many human rights and pro bono cases and
that I should be concentrating on making money at this point in my
career. I humbly disagree. Yes, money is important, there is no denying
that. However, money is not everything.” He added, “I find fulfillment in
doing such cases. It was why I choose to be a lawyer. To help others who
cannot help themselves.”
Words of Advice for Law Students Who are
Interested in Human Rights but are Hesitant?
“Do not hesitate. Jump in. There are many non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) and law firms in Malaysia which deal with human
rights issues. Join them for a few months/weeks. They are always on the
lookout for younger ones to assist them in their cause. Alternatively, help
raise awareness and education on human rights issues. You can write
articles, organise forums or workshops.”
Rajsurian also encourages law students to take part in the Strategic
Litigation Camp organized by Malaysia Centre for Constitutionalism and
Human Rights (MCCHR). He thinks that the camp will really help kick start
a person into human rights work.
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