GUA MUSANG: A proposal to review more than 3,000 outdated laws will be brought to the Cabinet next week, says Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
She noted that with the progression of technology, the government must reassess legislation enacted during the colonial era.
"These laws were adopted from the British government based on their colonial ideals. Now, we need to re-evaluate these laws. Otherwise, how long are we going to live with them?"
"Malaysia has been independent for many years, and we do not want to continue adopting colonial laws. Not all the laws are bad, but we must review and evaluate them," she told reporters after campaigning for the Barisan Nasional candidate in Gua Musang on Tuesday (Aug 13).
She added that laws involving digital issues need updating because current regulations are insufficient.
"Currently, the laws related to digital matters are not enough. It is difficult to arrest criminals and the penalties are light. Although the laws are there, they are not comprehensive," she said.
On Monday (Aug 12), she stated that more than 3,000 outdated laws must be reviewed to ensure legislation remains relevant.
She mentioned that a Cabinet paper needs to be prepared to list outdated laws and propose a special Cabinet committee for the review.
Azalina also raised the issue of reviewing archaic laws in Dewan Rakyat in March.