KUALA LUMPUR: Legal experts have weighed in on what laws need to be reviewed, saying that those concerning security and those affected by the digital age, in particular, were in need of updating.
Associate Professor Datuk Dr Shamrahayu Ab Aziz of the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) suggested that laws related to the country's security and internal affairs need to be reviewed to ensure they remain relevant in countering threats brought on by technological advancements.
Speaking to the New Straits Times, she said new threats to the country's security might persist due to such advancements and these would require existing laws to be amended to deal with such challenges.
"If we look at whether the current laws are sufficient in the context of digital and technological advancements, can the laws address the challenges to national security?"
On Monday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had announced that more than 3,000 outdated laws must be reviewed to ensure legislation remains relevant.
"For example, in digital technology, existing laws may not be applicable or require amendments to address more relevant situations," she had said.
Azalina said a list of the outdated laws, some of which were drafted before independence, will be compiled for the prime minister's consideration for further action.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Fathi Yusof echoed Shamrahayu's views, saying laws may become irrelevant or outdated due to the continuous developments in technology.
He said some laws may also need reviewing because of changes in society.
Fathi said the relevancy of a law is not dependent on its age but its usage in the digital era.
For example, he said, laws could be updated so that any individual who needed to submit documents for any business with government agencies could be allowed to submit them online.
"Additionally, there are old laws that need to be revised, based on the use of terminology that is no longer relevant (for today's usage)," he said.
Fathi also advised the government to regularly review laws to ensure they stay relevant.