Constitutional & Administrative Law

  • The Pardon and the Process
    Najib Razak has been granted a conditional pardon and will serve the remainder of his SRC sentence under house arrest until August 2028. The Pardons Board met and advised first — the process the High Court said was required when it dismissed his earlier bid.
  • Kedah, the Pool Betting Licences, and the Constitutional Boundary It Could Not Cross
    Kedah’s decision to stop renewing premises licences for lottery and pool betting outlets triggered a constitutional contest over the limits of state power. The Federal Court’s refusal of leave leaves intact the Court of Appeal’s 2–1 ruling that a state cannot use local licensing authority to prohibit an activity Parliament has placed under federal control.
  • Petronas, Sarawak, and the Petroleum Rights the Law Has Yet to Settle
    Petronas has been granted leave to challenge several Sarawak petroleum laws, with a full hearing tentatively set for January 2027. The case will test the division of regulatory authority between the Federation and the Borneo states — and the legal effect of Malaysia’s founding bargains.
  • The Orang Asli Villagers and Their Ancestral Right
    When seven Orang Asli villagers sued a company for destroying their ancestral graves, the Federal Court ruled that customary land rights survive relocation and cannot be extinguished by a commercial lease. The decision is a landmark affirmation that indigenous dignity and constitutional protections extend to burial grounds, even when titles change hands.
  • Simon Momoh and the Unlawful Detention
    A Nigerian man served his one‑day sentence for drink driving but was detained for 40 days. The High Court awarded RM675,000 in damages for unlawful confinement.
  • The Constitution’s Rules and the House Arrest Bid
    A judicial review tested whether a royal addendum could bypass the Pardons Board. The High Court said no.