Law, exciting field of study
SCHOOL students who participated in the recent HELP University Law Olympiad were exposed to various interesting and exciting activities. It also challenged their critical thinking skills and teamwork.
Tharseega Sharon Anthony, currently studying at Kolej Tingkatan Enam Desa Mahkota, felt the Law Olympiad exposed her to various ways of thinking and also teamwork.
“The various activities that focused on current affairs and general knowledge were engaging and challenging, and I’ve acquired some skills which I feel is important in today’s world,” said Tharseega.
There were many instances in the past that participants who attended the Law Olympiad decided to join the HELP Law programme, and Lua Bo Feng was one of those who did just that by joining HELP’s 2+1 UK degree transfer programme, and finally on graduation, he came back as a Visiting Fellow to HELP University.
According to Vasantha Punniamoorthy, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Government at HELP University, the sole purpose of the Law Olympiad which has been organised for the last 19 years was to showcase law as an exciting field of study.
“The challenge was to organise the activities in such a way as to bring out the best in the students so they could excel in the Law Olympiad.
“If there is anyone interested in law, come and speak to us.
“The mindset of Malaysians is that if you do law, you must practise law. This is not necessarily so.
“Pursuing law opens the opportunities in many other industries such as oil and gas, human resource, banking and corporate affairs,” she said.
For those interested in opening up a business, it does not mean you need a business degree. You can start with a law degree and build up your other business skills as you go along.
A law degree equipped with a Master’s in Business Administration or in Human Resource Management may be better options for those wanting to go into business.
“The skills needed to excel as a lawyer were hidden in the funfilled planned activities of the Law Olympiad, where students took on various roles as a judge or advocate.
“In Super Sleuth, the team members had to identify the criminal by studying the various pieces of evidence presented to them,” said Vasantha.
Eric Kong, a teacher from Chung Hua High School felt activities such as the Law Olympiad were good in the long term as they build a healthy respect for the law in the students and also the importance of the role of law in today’s society.
According to Vilmah Balakrishnan and Dr Jaspal Kaur, both senior lecturers in the Law Faculty, participants in the Olympiad were privy to a mock trial presented by law students from the Faculty’s July 2019 intake. The case revolved around a bully at school, and the Law Olympiad participants acted as jury, finally deciding on the guilt or innocence of the bully.
The wrongful use of data and misinformation is happening in society. Students especially must be exposed to what is acceptable and unacceptable conduct in today’s society when it comes to the dissemination of information. “Ethics plays an important role in influencing how students think these days, and the Law Olympiad plays an important role in educating and exposing students to the law,” said Vilmah, who teaches Law of Contract and Company Law in the HELP Law Faculty.
When the results were finally announced, Chong Hwa Independent High School, Kuala Lumpur emerged as the winner.
The two runners-up were Kolej Tingkatan Enam Desa Mahkota and Chung Hua High School, Seremban .