Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today said he was giving serious thought to re-establishing the law ministry.
Malaysia had a law ministry until 1995 when it was dissolved and replaced by the legal affairs division under the Prime Minister’s Department (BHEUU), currently led by law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said.
Speaking at the Asean Law Forum 2025 here, Anwar said reviving the law ministry would provide better structure for Malaysia’s legal system and strengthen the country’s role in the region.
“The law minister (Azalina) is passionate and always harasses us to effect change as quickly as possible. Therefore, I have to seriously consider the establishment of a dedicated law ministry,” he said.
“Not only would this ensure greater coherence in our national legal ecosystem, it would also enable Malaysia to engage more meaningfully with our regional partners in advancing the rule of law.”
Stressing the importance of regional cooperation in strengthening the rule of law, Anwar said Malaysia would be better placed to shape a more just and responsive region by aligning its best practices with those of neighbouring countries.
He also called on Asean to continue investing in mutual legal assistance, strengthen mechanisms for dispute resolution, and confront the new challenges of digital governance and artificial intelligence.
Last year, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism said Malaysia needed a dedicated law ministry to effectively handle its extensive legal reform agenda, noting that almost all of Malaysia’s counterparts in Asean have a similar body.
The anti-graft watchdog said while BHEUU is responsible for a wide range of functions, its limited budget and capacity hinder its effectiveness.
BHEUU is administratively responsible for a wide range of agencies such as the insolvency department, legal aid department, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, National Legal Aid Foundation and Asian International Arbitration Centre.
