Sabah Town Hall gathers input for criminal law reform
KOTA KINABALU (Jan 10): The Criminal Law Reform Committee (CLRC), tasked with reviewing and proposing reforms to the Penal Code [Act 574], Criminal Procedure Code [Act 593], and Evidence Act 1950 [Act 56], successfully held a Town Hall session in Sabah on Monday to gather input from stakeholders in the state.
This session follows a similar series held in Peninsular Malaysia on 21 May 2025.
The Town Hall was chaired by Tan Sri Datuk Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal, former Federal Court judge and chairman of CLRC, alongside his deputy, Datuk Ravinthran N. Paramaguru, a Court of Appeal judge. Also in attendance was Datuk Zamri Misman, Director-General of the Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister's Department.
The Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department said in a statement on Monday that
the session aimed to collect suggestions and feedback from Sabah stakeholders regarding criminal law reforms, including the introduction of new offences, amendments to evidence law, burden of proof and sentencing,
improvements to fair trial principles, and enhancements to pre-trial procedures — all aligned with the goal of strengthening overall criminal justice.
This initiative was spearheaded by Dato' Sri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), as part of a comprehensive national consultation effort. The inclusive approach emphasizes broad participation from various segments of society, including vulnerable groups, professionals and civil society, to ensure fair, equitable and people-centric legal reforms.
The overwhelming response during the Sabah Town Hall highlights the initiative's relevance to the public and reflects a collective commitment towards criminal justice reform. It aligns with the MADANI Government's efforts to ensure the nation's legal framework remains relevant, effective, and just in addressing technological advancements, socio-economic developments, emerging threats, and international best practices.
To allow more public participation, the deadline for submitting feedback on proposed criminal law reforms has been extended from 31 May 2025 to 15 June 2025.
The Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister's Department extends its highest appreciation to all ministries, government agencies, civil society organizations, higher education institutions, the Malaysian Bar Council, Sabah Law Society, CLRC committee members, and researchers for their valuable contributions.
The establishment of the CLRC is a special initiative to review and propose reforms to three key laws — the Penal Code [Act 574], Criminal Procedure Code [Act 593] and Evidence Act [Act 56] — within 18 months in a phased manner. So far, the Committee has held two meetings to discuss the direction of the study and planned reform phases.
To strengthen the study's implementation, an Ad Hoc Committee comprising legal, enforcement, technology and civil society experts has also been formed to provide ongoing technical and strategic input.
The Chair and members of both committees were appointed by Azalina, reflecting the MADANI Government's commitment to comprehensive legal reforms. This effort aims to ensure the country's criminal justice system becomes more responsive, fair and effective while upholding the rule of law and protecting individual rights.
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