KUALA LUMPUR: Civil cases involving cross-border insolvency, maritime law, international settlement agreements may soon fall under the full jurisdiction of the High Court under amendments to the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 (Act 91).
The amendments are targeted at Section 24 of the Act, which identifies specific areas that must be heard by the High Court.
The amendments were tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat by the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman on Monday (July 13).
Among the amendments include Section 24(b), which provides the High Court full authority over civil cases involving maritime law, replacing the previous authority provided under United Kingdom's Senior Courts Act 1981 before the amendment.
Another amendment will revise Section 24(c) to include bankruptcy cases involving insolvent companies or individuals with assets, creditors, or operations spread across multiple countries.
Another proposed amendment Section 24(c) will also see civil cases of international settlement agreements resulting from mediation also fall under the authority of the High Courts.
Azalina added that the second and third readings of the amendment are scheduled for the current Dewan Rakyat meeting.
