University of Malaya Law Review

14/05/2026

[UMLR Legal Writing Competition 2026: Distinguished Guests Announcement]

The University of Malaya Law Review (‘UMLR’) is honoured to unveil the distinguished VIPs who will be gracing our upcoming awards ceremony.

We are privileged to welcome these esteemed legal figures to join us in recognising and celebrating the exceptional scholarship of our participants. In conjunction with this celebration, we proudly highlight the Keynote Authors who have shaped the legacy of the UMLR.

Our Keynote Authors:

- YBhg. Dato’ Seri Mohd Hishamudin Yunus

- YBhg. Datuk Professor Sundra Rajoo

- Professor Datuk Dr. Gurdial Singh Nijar

- YBhg. Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi

- Mr Philip Koh Tong Ngee

Event Details:
Date: 16 May 2026
Time: 2:30 PM to 4.00 PM (Registration commences at 2:00 PM)
Tea Session: 4:05 PM – 5:00 PM.
Venue: Auditorium Tun Mohamed Suffian, Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya.

Should you have any further inquiries regarding the ceremony, please feel free to contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +6018-973 6544 (Mr Hariz Huzaifi, Head of the Logistics Bureau).

‘Fueled by honesty, integrity, and a passion for the law.’

14/05/2026

[High Court Awards RM2.5 Million in Medical Negligence Suit]

On Monday, the Alor Setar High Court awarded RM2.5 million in damages to a nine-year-old girl who suffered permanent brain damage at birth.

The suit was filed in 2022 by the girl’s father against 10 doctors, a nurse, a hospital, and the government for being vicariously liable. The case arose from complications during a vacuum-assisted delivery in May 2017, which caused the girl to suffer severe and irreversible brain injuries.

Subsequently, the government admitted liability and proceedings were conducted on quantum only, with witnesses from both parties giving evidence.

In its ruling, the court found that the girl’s condition was permanent and that she would remain wholly dependent on others for daily care. The court awarded RM2,548,850.12, in damages, costs, and expenses, and ordered the compensation to be held in a trust jointly managed by the girl’s parents.

However, both the government and the girl's father have appealed against the damages awarded.

13/05/2026

[UMLR Legal Writing Competition 2026: Participating Sponsoring Partners]

The University of Malaya Law Review (‘UMLR’) is proud to introduce our Participating Sponsoring Partners for the upcoming Awards Ceremony.

We are honoured to have these distinguished firms join us for this celebration, providing a bridge between academic excellence and the professional legal landscape.

Our Sponsoring Partners:
- Ricky Tan & Co
- Harold & Lam Partnership
- Tommy Thomas Advocates & Solicitors
- Mah-Kamariyah & Philip Koh
- Gan Partnership

This award ceremony is open to everyone — not just competition participants! Whether you are a law student looking for career insights or a member of the legal community, we welcome you to join us. Please note that to participate in the networking and tea session, guests are expected to attend the Award Ceremony in the Auditorium first.

Event Details
Date: 16 May 2026
Award Ceremony: 2:30 PM – 4:05 PM (Registration Commences at 2.00 PM)
Tea Session : 4:05 PM – 5:00 PM
Venue: Auditorium Tun Mohamed Suffian, Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya
*Entry is free of charge with finger food provided and unlimited photobooth experience.

Should you have any further inquiries regarding the ceremony, please feel free to contact us at:
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: +6018-973 6544 (Mr Hariz Huzaifi, Head of the Logistics Bureau)

‘Fueled by honesty, integrity, and a passion for the law.’

12/05/2026

[UMLR Legal Writing Competition 2026: Awards Ceremony Tentative Announcement]

The University of Malaya Law Review (‘UMLR’) is pleased to release the itinerary for the upcoming awards ceremony.

We invite all participants and esteemed guests to review the schedule provided to ensure a seamless experience on the day of the event. Please refer to the attached graphic for the detailed program breakdown.

Event Details:
Date: 16 May 2026
Time: 2:30 PM to 4.00 PM (Registration commences at 2:00 PM)
Tea Session: 4:05 PM – 5:00 PM.
Venue: Auditorium Tun Mohamed Suffian, Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya.

Event Highlights:
* Announcement of Winners & Award Presentation
* Networking Session: Connect with representatives from our partnering law firms.
* Meet Our Keynote Authors: An exclusive opportunity to engage with the authors of the UMLR Academic Journal.
* Photobooth Experience: Capture memories from the inaugural ceremony.
* Complimentary Perks: All attendees will receive UMLR merchandise, and finger foods will be provided.

Should you have any further inquiries regarding the ceremony, please feel free to contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +6018-973 6544 (Mr Hariz Huzaifi, Head of the Logistics Bureau).

‘Fueled by honesty, integrity, and a passion for the law.’

11/05/2026

[UMLR Legal Writing Competition: Awards Ceremony Announcement]

The University of Malaya Law Review (‘UMLR’) proudly announces the culmination of our inaugural Legal Writing Competition. We cordially invite you to join us in recognising the exceptional legal writing of our participants and celebrating this year's award recipients.

Event Details:
Date: 16 May 2026
Time: 2:30 PM to 4.00 PM (Registration commences at 2:00 PM)
Tea Session: 4:05 PM – 5:00 PM.
Venue: Auditorium Tun Mohamed Suffian, Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya.

Should you have any further inquiries regarding the ceremony, please feel free to contact us at:
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: +6018-973 6544 (Mr Hariz Huzaifi, Head of the Logistics Bureau).

We look forward to welcoming all participants as we celebrate excellence in legal writing.

‘Fueled by honesty, integrity, and a passion for the law.’

11/05/2026

[Court of Appeal Allows Malaysian Bar to Challenge DNAA in Deputy Prime Minister’s Corruption Trial]

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal unanimously granted the Malaysian Bar leave to challenge the Attorney General’s (‘AG’) application for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (‘DNAA’) for the Deputy Prime Minister’s 47 charges in the Yayasan Akalbudi case.

The appeal arose after the High Court refused leave for the Malaysian Bar’s judicial review application filed in December 2023.

The Court held that the appeal concerned the threshold for challenging the AG’s prosecutorial discretion under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution, and not the merits of the charges or any determination of guilt.

Referring to the Federal Court decision in Sundra Rajoo, the Court reaffirmed that although the AG’s discretion is wide, it is not absolute or unfettered. The relevant test was whether the application disclosed an arguable and non-frivolous case.

Ultimately, the Court of Appeal concluded that the Malaysian Bar had passed the test for leave, particularly given the public interest involved and the advanced stage of proceedings, which included 99 prosecution witnesses and 15 defence witnesses.

The Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that the Malaysian Bar can proceed with its challenge against the AG’s 2023 decision to seek a discharge not amounting to an acquittal...

08/05/2026

[Federal Court Upholds Jail Sentence on Six Methamphetamine Traffickers]

On Tuesday, the Federal Court upheld the convictions of six men’s 30-year imprisonment for trafficking 7.58 kg of m**hamphetamine.

In 2018, the men were arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA2) after drugs were found strapped to their thighs and concealed in their shoes. Their defence was that they had accepted a job offer to deliver packages to South Korea, believing the items to be gym supplements.

On appeal, they argued that the trial judge wrongly applied the presumption of trafficking and that a lesser charge should apply, with further claims that the presumption was only addressed in the written grounds of judgment.

Ultimately, the apex court unanimously found the appeal to be without merit. However, the whipping sentences for all six men were reduced from 15 to 12 strokes.

They were caught at KLIA while trying to board a flight to South Korea in 2018.

07/05/2026

[Court of Appeal Rules Emergency Proclamations Non-Justiciable]

On Monday, the Court of Appeal affirmed that emergency proclamations issued by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (“YDPA”) are not subject to judicial review under the Federal Constitution.

In 2024, a lawyer sought to challenge the then YDPA’s refusal to declare a state of emergency in October 2020, which the High Court held to be non-justiciable. The government and the then Prime Minister were subsequently named as respondents in the appeal.

In dismissing the appeal, the appellate court held that Article 150(8) of the Federal Constitution was framed to exclude judicial review of emergency proclamations, as such policy-centric matters fall beyond the judiciary’s institutional competence.

Accordingly, a declaration of grave emergency is final and cannot be challenged in court, as only the executive may advise the King on such matters.

Although the issue was academic, the appeal proceeded on grounds of public interest under the English House of Lords’ “Salem exception” principle.

Court says matters of national security are best left to the executive.

05/05/2026

[At A Glance: March Edition]

News compiled from 1st March 2026 to 31st March 2026.

Please note that the headlines are paraphrased from news sites.

The intention is to keep everyone up to date with the latest news for the month of March.

Compiled by Hurin Damia Amir Zahid and Aziq Rosdi.

‘Fueled by honesty, integrity and a passion for the law’

04/05/2026

[Government Announces One-Off Post-Maternity Allowance]

On Friday, the government agreed in principle to introduce a one-off post-maternity allowance for women in the workforce under the Employment Insurance System (‘EIS’) Act 2017.

It is estimated that around 132,000 women will benefit from the allowance, which is proposed to amount to roughly 80% of their current salary.

Additionally, Malaysia will amend the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017 to extend social security protection to over 480,000 citizens working abroad.

Further, the Progressive Acceleration for Profitability and Employment (‘PACE’) programme was announced to stabilise the country’s labour market and promote human capital development.

Lastly, a total of RM580 million and RM100 million have been allocated respectively for AI development and worker training, with an additional RM20 million allocated to upgrade protection schemes for e-hailing and p-hailing workers.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says the proposed one-off payment will be 80% of the employee’s current salary.

02/05/2026

[US Supreme Court Narrows Section 2 Voting Rights Act Protections]

On Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court, in a 6–3 decision, blocked Louisiana’s electoral map that would have created a second Black-majority congressional district and narrowed the scope of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In 2020, Louisiana adopted a congressional map with only one Black-majority district. The court found it likely violated Section 2 of the Act for diluting Black voting strength.

Following that ruling, the state redrew the map to include a second Black-majority district. This revised map was then challenged by voters identifying as “non-African American,” who argued it reduced the electoral influence of non-Black voters in a majority-White state.

A three-judge panel struck down the revised map, holding that it relied too heavily on race and violated constitutional equal protection principles. The Supreme Court upheld that ruling.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits electoral maps that dilute minority voting power. Previously, plaintiffs could succeed under a “results test” by showing discriminatory impact alone.

The Supreme Court’s ruling replaces this with an “intent test,” requiring proof that maps were drawn with a discriminatory purpose, as understood under the 15th Amendment, which prohibits denial of the right to vote based on race. The decision raises the threshold for minority voters to challenge electoral maps under Section 2.

This makes it harder for minorities to challenge electoral maps as racially discriminatory.