Malaysia Mulls Dedicated Law Ministry To Strengthen Legal System - PM Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- The government is considering the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Law to ensure greater coherence in the national legal ecosystem, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

He said the move would also enable Malaysia to engage more meaningfully with regional partners in advancing the rule of law, particularly with fellow ASEAN member states.

“By aligning ourselves with the best practices of our neighbours, Malaysia will be better placed to shape a more just and responsive regional order,” he said in his keynote address at the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 here today.

Present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, her deputy M. Kulasegaran and ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.

Anwar said Inclusivity and Sustainability had been adopted as Malaysia’s central theme for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, stressing that inclusivity means the law must serve every person, every community and every generation.

“It is not enough for justice to exist in principle. It must be felt in the lives of our people. The law must empower and protect, not intimidate or exclude,” he said.

Anwar also stressed the importance of sustainability in building legal systems and institutions that can withstand the test of time.

“A government’s true strength does not rest in the reach of its authority, but in the integrity of its institutions, its fairness in governance, and the trust it earns from its citizens,” he said.

Speaking on ASEAN’s Vision 2045, Anwar said the rule of law must be the foundation of the journey, stressing that a rules-based ASEAN is the bedrock of trust, stability and shared prosperity.

Anwar also noted that ASEAN unity did not demand uniformity, as the region’s diversity in legal traditions, cultural values and historical experiences could enrich rather than divide its members.

In this regard, Anwar urged the regional grouping to strengthen mutual legal assistance, enhance dispute resolution mechanisms, and confront emerging challenges such as digital governance and the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI).

“These are not abstract reforms. They are acts of trust-building, of ensuring that ASEAN remains relevant and resilient in a rapidly changing world,” he said.

Citing the recent border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, Anwar said Malaysia’s mediation, backed by ASEAN’s collective will, had led to a ceasefire agreement.

He said the ASEAN region has proven time and again that disputes can be resolved through dialogue and principled diplomacy. 

“ASEAN’s approach to peace has always been one of quiet strength, consensus and respect. The same spirit must guide our legal cooperation.

“This was not just a triumph of diplomacy, but a reminder that even in moments of deep strain, ASEAN can rise above division and reaffirm its role as a custodian of peace,” he said.

Anwar also said the forum would adopt a Joint Statement on legal cooperation, human rights, and sustainable development to be led by Azalina.

“Yet no statement, however carefully crafted, will by itself change lives. What matters is the resolve to translate aspiration into action, and vision into tangible progress for our peoples,” he added.

The three-day forum held from Aug 19, brought together 58 speakers and moderators in 15 expert-led sessions, attended by over 300 participants from ASEAN and beyond, covering discussions over alternative dispute resolution, commercial law reforms, as well as business and human rights.

The forum was organised by the Asian International Arbitration Centre in collaboration with the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department.

-- BERNAMA