Tony Pua, a Malaysian politician, recently stated that royal decrees (titah diraja) are not laws and need not be obeyed. He emphasized that the Federal Constitution is supreme and that constitutional monarchs have limited powers. His remarks followed the Sultan of Selangor’s decree banning pig farming in the state. This same issue also arose after…
Not long ago, a Malaysian artist questioned the Malaysian Immigration Department’s reasoning for reducing her foreign spouse’s visa from 2 years to 1 year upon renewal1. Her post also attracted others in binational relationships to share their own experiences on the subject, with some stating that the Immigration Department ‘decides based on their mood’. The commonly used phrase “spouse visa”…
Recent remarks by our Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the “cleaning up” of illegally built structures, particularly houses of worship, have drawn significant public attention to the issue of unlawful occupation of land. Following this, recent news reports of private landowners taking matters into their own hands to demolish structures erected on their land have…
Amid global economic uncertainty and ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly the volatility of global oil prices and the risk of energy supply disruptions, the Prime Minister of Malaysia has called for a comprehensive review of work-from-home (“WFH”) proposals to ensure administrative consistency. Against this backdrop, an important question arises as to whether Malaysian law recognises flexible…
Have you ever found yourself stopped at a red light with an irresistible urge to check your work email, reply to an urgent message, scroll through the news or check out your shopping cart? It is likely you have had such an urge, right up until the traffic light turns green or the car behind…
Donald Trump’s speech is controversial again – not because of what he said this time, but because how it was edited by the BBC. In the BBC’s Panorama documentary, viewers heard Trump saying, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.” What…
The recent conviction of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin’s mother, who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for neglect that led to her six-year-old autistic son’s death, has once again shaken Malaysians [1]. Sadly, this tragedy is not an isolated case. The Department of Social Welfare Malaysia reported in May 2025 that child neglect cases in…
In October 2025, two secondary school teachers were charged for causing injury to a student by using a rotan on two separate occasions. News of these charges raised an interesting question – Is it wrong for a teacher to cane a student? On one hand, some supported the charges, saying that teachers should not be…
“Hey, I have a quick question: my boss just offered to appoint me as a nominee director. They need a Bumiputera director so that the company can undertake some projects. I will be indemnified for any claims brought against the company. Is it safe for me to accept the appointment?” my friend asked over the…
Is Tipping Considered Bribery? It’s Friday, your vibe is off the chart and you’re feeling generous. After a delightful dinner at your favourite restaurant, you went to pay your bill and you decided to tip the waiter. But wait, you’ve already paid for the meal and for the services rendered by the restaurant. Wouldn’t tipping…