An overview of counselor ethical code and ethical principles in Malaysian setting

Nurul Hasyimah Mat Rani

Abstract

Counselors are increasingly needed not only in public institutions and private but also in the events of natural disaster and tragedy in the country such as the tsunami on 26 December 2004, a major flood in Kelantan in 2014, also MH370 and MH17 crash incidents in December 2014. Counselors also work with various groups such as children, school-going students, people with disabilities, single mothers, teenagers, university students, parents, spouses, and workers. As someone who delivers a professional service, counselors should offer their services in an ethical manner and avoid an unethical behavior. Ethical code and ethical principles can guide counselors in practicing counseling services in an ethical manner. This paper gives an overview about the Board of Counselor (Malaysia), the goals and sections in the Code of Ethics in the Malaysian setting and ethical principles in counseling practices. The main objective of this paper is to apply the code of ethics and ethical principles in solving ethical issues. The impending conclusion and implication will also be discussed.

References

1. Board of Counselor. (2011). Code of Ethics: Kuala Lumpur: Publishers of Malaysian Board of Counselor 2. Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (2011). Issues & ethics in the helping professions (8th ed.). Belmont, BA: Brooks/Cole. 3. Counsellor Act 1998 (Act 580) and Regulations. (1998). Kuala Lumpur: Law Revision Commissioner of Malaysia in Collaboration with the Malaysian National Printing Bhd. 4. Elliot, G. R. (2011). When values and ethics conflict: The counselor’s role and responsibility. Alabama Counseling Association Journal, 37(1), 39-45. 5. Gostin, L. O. (2002). Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California 1976. 17 Cal. 3d 425; 551 P.2d 334; 131 Cal. Rptr. 14 6. Hermann, M. A., & Herlily, B. R. (2006). Legal and ethical implication of refusing to counsel homosexual clients. Journal of Counseling and Development, 84(4), 414-418. 7. Malaysian Public Service Department, 2006. Pekeliling Perkhidmatan Bilangan 11 Tahun 2006. Retrieved from http://docs.jpa.gov.my/docs/pekeliling/pp06/b. 8. Othman Mohamed. (2000). Prinsip Psikoterapi dan Pengurusan dalam Kaunseling. Penerbit Universiti Putra Malaysia: Serdang. 9. Remley, T. P., Jr. & Herlili, B. R. (2007). Ethical, legal and professional issues in counseling. (2nd ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall. 10. Welfel, E. R. (2013). Ethics in Counseling and Psychotherapy (2nd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA:Brooks/Cole.