Skip to main content

CONSTITUTIONAL LANDMARKS IN MALAYSIA- THE FIRST 50 YEARS


Author(s):

Prof Andrew Harding
formerly Professor of Law and Head of the Department of Law at SOAS, University of London, and now Professor of Asia-Pacific Legal Relations at University of Victoria in Canada, has published widely on Malaysian constitutional law, comparative law and environmental law.

Prof H P Lee
is the Sir John Latham Professor of Law and Deputy Dean at Monash University in Australia. He is also the Vice-Chairman of the Australian Press Council.

August 31, 2007 will usher in Malaysia’s 50th year of independence or Merdeka. “Constitutional Landmarks in Malaysia: The First 50 Years” is being published by LexisNexis to commemorate this historic milestone. This unique book provides a comprehensive and in-depth expert analysis on the evolution of the Malaysian constitutional system since Merdeka Day.

Written by a team of distinguished and respected scholars and members of the Malaysian Bar and Judiciary, this book contains a number of scholarly essays, historical and contemporary photographs, potted biographies of important figures, timelines and lists of office holders. It also examines the three major crises in the Malaysian constitution in contemporary times - the 1983 constitutional crisis; the 1988 judiciary crisis; and the constitutional crisis of 1993. The fallout from these major shakeups are explored and the changing patterns of constitutionalism are analysed.

Taking a comprehensive approach, the book’s contents include:
• The evolution of the new independent Federation of Malaya up to the proclamation of independence on 31 August 1957
• Motivations behind the creation of Malaysia, negotiations and the various political events leading to the formation of Malaysia in 1963
• Political dynamics which led to Singapore leaving the Malaysian Federation
• The ‘MAY 13th’ crisis


Paneir's view:

This is a 'masterpiece' on Malaysian judiciary and hope the readers will look into it on explosive comments by the authors.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Smart Security, Free Society: Malaysia’s Data Dilemma

In today’s digitally driven world, national security is no longer confined to borders or traditional threats. Cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and asymmetric warfare have become the new frontiers of conflict. Malaysia, strategically located in Southeast Asia and increasingly exposed to regional tensions and internal vulnerabilities, must strengthen its security apparatus. However, doing so must not come at the cost of civil liberties. Malaysia can enhance its security strategy by leveraging insights from advanced data platforms like those pioneered by Palantir Technologies, while maintaining strong democratic oversight to safeguard the fundamental freedoms protected by the Federal Constitution. Palantir Technologies, a U.S.-based company, gained prominence in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Its core software, Gotham, was designed to integrate fragmented intelligence and provide real-time, actionable insights to military and intelligence agencies. Over the years,...

Syringe Attacks in Malaysia and France: Random Violence or Terrorism? - Part 3

The syringe attack on the 12-year-old son of Pandan MP and former Economy Minister, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, has shaken Malaysia. What initially appeared as a rare and bizarre incident now echoes a disturbing pattern witnessed abroad, notably in France. In June 2025, during the Fête de la Musique festival, over 145 people across France reported being pricked with syringes in crowded public areas. In both cases, the weapon of fear was not a gun or bomb but a syringe. When viewed together, the Rafizi incident and the mass needle attacks in France reveal an alarming global trend of unconventional, psychological violence that leaves behind not just physical uncertainty but emotional trauma. The question we must now ask is: are these acts simply random criminality, or should they be treated with the gravity of terrorist attacks? A Pattern Beyond Borders In France, the attacks spanned multiple cities, with 13 confirmed cases in Paris alone. Victims included women, men, and even min...

Constitution of Malaysia: An Introduction Part 5

7 (1) No person shall be punished for an act or omission which was not punishable by law when it was done or made, and no person shall suffer greater punishment for an offence than was prescribed by law at the time it was committed. (2) A person who has been acquitted or convicted of an offence shall not be tried again for the same offence except where the conviction or acquittal has been quashed and a retrial ordered by a court superior to that by which he was acquitted or convicted.