THE government is moving towards a major overhaul of its death-investigation system, considering a dedicated Coroner’s Act to make inquiries more independent, transparent and effective in identifying systemic failures.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the proposed legislation would establish a clearer and more comprehensive legal framework while defining the responsibilities of each party when a death is reported.
She said the coroner system should go beyond determining the cause of death by identifying weaknesses in existing systems and ensuring lessons from cases could help prevent similar tragedies.
“If a death exposes weaknesses in the system, the coroner’s findings should not stop in a file because the lessons learned from a case should help us protect other lives,” she said at the launch of the Public Opinion Survey on the Drafting of the Coroner’s Bill at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Kuala Lumpur today.
Azalina said the study would examine several aspects of the proposed Bill, including which categories of deaths must be reported, the jurisdiction and independence of coroners, and standardised procedures.
It would also examine coordination between agencies, preservation of evidence, timelines for action and the rights of families throughout the process.
“However, the policy parameters for the proposed Bill have yet to be finalised.
“The Government wants to draft this law by listening to views and obtaining input from government agencies, legal practitioners, academics, civil society organisations and, most importantly, the people themselves because they are the ones who will benefit the most,” she said.
Azalina said Malaysia already had an inquest framework under the Criminal Procedure Code, particularly Sections 328 to 341A, as well as Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019.
However, she said death investigations had become increasingly complex, involving digital evidence, forensic analysis, medical records, institutional security and coordination among multiple agencies.
“The need for legal reform is also not new, as weaknesses in the existing framework have previously been raised by several parties and through earlier reports.
“The same issue was raised by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), the Malaysian Bar, the Tun Dzaiddin Commission Report and the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the death of Teoh Beng Hock,” she said.
Meanwhile, Azalina said the Government was also considering establishing a Law Reform Commission as a permanent, specialised and structured mechanism to review the country’s laws.
She said the commission would make recommendations for reform in a systematic, continuous and independent manner based on evidence.
“Legal reform should not be ad hoc or driven only when a crisis arises, but should be carried out in a planned manner so that the country’s legal framework remains relevant and responsive to the current needs of society,” she said. - September 3, 2026
