Approaches to law reform

THE Bar Council of Malaya must be congratulated for its seminar on Sept 20 to renew its decade-old quest for an independent Law Reform Commission. As a guest speaker, it was my privilege to support the proposal and at the same time offer some words of caution.

First, the law is not a changeless code but is in need of constant growth to cater to the felt necessities of the times. Its whole body is potentially in need of periodic review. The task is so mammoth that no one institution can handle the reconstruction of the law single-handedly. Therefore, we need to marshal all existing institutions and procedures and develop new ones to help bring about growth and change in the law.