KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that his administration is seriously considering the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Law, aimed at reinforcing Malaysia’s legal ecosystem and enhancing coherence across the country’s justice framework. The proposal was unveiled during his keynote address at the ASEAN Law Forum 2025, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Anwar emphasized that such a ministry would better position Malaysia to collaborate more effectively with regional partners in strengthening the rule of law, particularly within ASEAN. He clarified that this consideration stemmed from his own deliberations—not prompting from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Law and Institutional Reform, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said—fueling lighthearted laughter from the audience.
Currently, legal affairs fall under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department following the dissolution of the separate Ministry of Law in 1995, with responsibilities shifted to the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU). Reintroducing a standalone ministry, Anwar suggested, could help ensure a more integrated approach to legal reform and justice delivery.
As ASEAN Chair for 2025, the Prime Minister reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to inclusivity and sustainability—pillars that the law must uphold to be truly meaningful. He asserted that justice should not merely exist as an ideal, but be tangible and empowering in people’s everyday lives; legal systems must endure and adapt over time.
