KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 12): The government has begun reviewing the country’s core criminal laws as part of efforts to strengthen institutional reform.
The laws under review — the Penal Code [Act 574], Criminal Procedure Code [Act 593] and Evidence Act 1950 [Act 56] — are being examined by the newly established Criminal Law Reform Committee (CLRC), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
“The review aims to replace outdated colonial-era provisions, ensure laws remain relevant, and align them with modern societal needs, technology, and human rights standards,” she told the special chambers in Parliament during the ministerial explanation session on Tuesday.
Azalina said quick-win measures identified include abolishing mandatory whipping, improving remand and bail procedures, expanding community service for minor offences, strengthening the e-Plea of Guilt system, and enhancing pre-trial document disclosure.
The CLRC is led by former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal, with Court of Appeal judge Datuk Ravinthran N Paramaguru as deputy. Members include judges, legal practitioners, academics, and representatives from the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
An Ad Hoc CLRC Committee and four subcommittees have also been formed to provide technical input, she added.
Apart from reviewing core criminal laws, she said the committee is also tasked with reviewing the Child Act 2001 following the abolition of the mandatory death penalty and life imprisonment, as well as issues relating to cybercrime, national security offences, and deferred prosecution agreements.
Azalina added that engagement sessions have been held with key agencies, including the police, prison and welfare departments, judiciary, Home Ministry, Suhakam, and through town halls in Sabah and Sarawak.
“These reforms will strengthen the criminal justice system, speed up court processes, improve human rights protection, and align with international standards,” she said.
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