To Members and Pupils,

We refer to Circular No 182/2024 entitled “Personal Data Protection Act 2010: Reminder on Requirement for Law Firm Partnerships to Register under the Act,” dated 28 June 2024, regarding the requirement for law firm partnerships (not sole proprietors) to register under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (“PDPA”) and the Personal Data Protection (Class of Data Users) Order 2013.

We wish to inform Members that the Personal Data Protection Department (Jabatan Perlindungan Data Peribadi, “JPDP”) has sent a follow-up letter to the Bar Council dated 10 Oct 2024, reminding law firm partnerships of their obligation to register under the PDPA. JPDP has also informed us that many law firm partnerships have yet to register and obtain the certificate of registration.

The Bar Council reminds all law firm partnerships to take note of section 16(4) of the PDPA, which states that a person who fails to register, and “processes personal data without a certificate of registration … commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both.”

The registration remains valid for up to two years, with an annual fee of RM200. To register, please click here.

Should you have questions on registration, please contact JPDP’s Registration Management Section (pendaftaran@pdp.gov.my or 03-8861 1402 / 4103). Alternatively, you may also contact JPDP’s Officers Puan Nur Qurratu Aina (qurratuaina@pdp.gov.my), Encik Mohd Rizan b Ishak (rizan@pdp.gov.my), or Puan Khairul Nur Iman (iman@pdp.gov.my).

Please click here to view the full circular on website, or here to view it on Malaysian Bar Facebook page.

Thank you.

Secretariat

Perak Bar Committee