The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Legal Aid and Public Defence Bill 2025, a move aimed at widening access to justice and restructuring the nation’s legal aid system to improve efficiency and inclusivity.
Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), said the legislation seeks to modernise the legal framework by extending coverage to civil and syariah legal aid, mediation, and legal companionship for cases involving children.
“We do not want situations where, in cases requiring legal aid, individuals are unable to engage a lawyer – in fact, some cannot even afford to meet one. At the very least, this service provides them with access to legal assistance, which I believe is a positive step for the people,” she said during the bill’s winding-up debate.
The new law also allows for electronic legal advice services, making the system more inclusive. Under the bill, the functions of the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) will be absorbed by the Legal Aid Department (JBG) under the office of the chief public defender. The government will also settle outstanding fees owed to lawyers who served under the YBGK scheme.
The bill repeals the Legal Aid Act 1971 (Act 26) and renames legal aid services in criminal proceedings as the public defence service. It introduces two new roles: the chief public defender and public defence officers, marking a key upgrade to the country’s legal aid framework.
