Budget 2027: Azalina Hails Govt Commitment To Legal, Institutional Reforms
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The proposed establishment of a Malaysian Law Reform Commission reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s legal reform agenda, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
In a statement today, Azalina expressed her appreciation to Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for his commitment to considering the proposal under Budget 2027.
The initiative would include identifying outdated laws, addressing gaps in legislation and modernising laws relating to contracts, the sale of goods and mediation, she added.
She said the MADANI Government’s reforms also included restoring parliamentary autonomy after more than three decades, strengthening Parliamentary Special Select Committees and introducing Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQT), alongside legal reforms to strengthen human rights, protect the public and improve access to justice.
“The most meaningful reform is the government’s willingness to limit its own powers. Although the proposal to limit the Prime Minister’s tenure has yet to secure a two-thirds majority in Parliament, while the separation of the roles of Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor remains under review, the MADANI Unity Government remains steadfast in pursuing these reforms while respecting the parliamentary democratic process,” she said.
On public welfare, Azalina welcomed three Budget 2027 initiatives to strengthen the Second Chance Policy, which has helped more than 250,000 individuals emerge from bankruptcy since 2023.
The initiatives include raising the bankruptcy threshold from RM100,000 to RM150,000 from 2027, extending the Second Chance Policy to primary caregivers of family members with disabilities, chronic illnesses and the elderly, as well as gig workers and individuals with irregular incomes, and strengthening automatic discharge from bankruptcy as early as three years under Section 33C of the Insolvency Act 1967 for eligible individuals.
She also welcomed the expansion of individual lifestyle tax relief to cover vaccination costs and the adoption of pets from registered centres, aimed at encouraging responsible pet ownership.
As the Pengerang MP, Azalina also welcomed PETRONAS’ full ownership of the Pengerang Integrated Complex to strengthen the country’s fuel supply security.
She said the development of the Pengerang Biorefinery through collaboration between Enilive, Eni and Euglena to produce low-carbon fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and bionaphtha, would also create economic opportunities and high-value jobs.
Azalina said Budget 2027 demonstrated that reform was not merely about changing laws and institutions, but also about delivering tangible benefits to the people and shaping the country’s future.
-- BERNAMA