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" The Law embodies the story of a nation's development through many centuries, and it cannot be dealt with as if it contained only the axioms and corollaries of a book of mathematics"

-Oliver Wendell Holmes-

MALAYSIA'S LEGAL SYSTEM

The chart above depicts the hierarchy of the Malaysian Courts. Besides the Superior Courts and the Subordinate Courts, there are also three more courts which have different administration from the courts above namely:

(a) Syariah Courts which have jurisdiction over the nation's Muslim population in family and religious issues;

(b) Industrial Courts which deals with industrial relations disputes; and

(c) Native Courts in Sabah and Sarawak which deal with indigenous matters.

The English language has always been the official language of the Malaysian Courts. In 1963, when Bahasa Malaysia was officially introduced as the national language of the country, the courts were exempted from using the Bahasa Malaysia. However, on the 11th July 1990 following the amendment of the National Language Act 1963/67 (Act 32) (Revised in 1971), Bahasa Malaysia replaced English as the official language of the courts in West Malaysia. The amending Act provided English to be used in the Courts in West Malaysia where it deems necessary in the interest of Justice. East Malaysia on the other hand was and is still using English as the official language in their courts.

Rules and Acts