The Coroners Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament next year as the government works towards establishing clearer procedures and responsibilities for investigating deaths.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the bill was initially expected to be tabled this year but the October Budget 2027 session made next year a more suitable timeframe.
Speaking after launching the Public Opinion Survey on the Drafting of the Coroners Bill today, she said the proposed law would set out standard operating procedures (SOPs) and clarify the roles of coroners and other parties involved in death investigations.
“We hope that with this act, we can establish SOPs and answer questions that arise. We do not want families searching for answers when a death occurs,” she said.
Malaysia already has an inquest framework under Sections 328 to 341A of the Criminal Procedure Code, as well as Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019.
However, Azalina said investigations have become increasingly complex with the involvement of digital evidence, forensic analysis, medical records, institutional safety and coordination between different agencies.
She said the proposed legislation is being considered with three key objectives: establishing a comprehensive legal framework, creating a more structured, independent and transparent coroner system and clearly defining the responsibilities of each party when a death is reported.
The system should also go beyond determining the cause of death by identifying weaknesses that could prevent similar tragedies from happening again, she said.
“We also want a system that not only determines the cause of death but also identifies weaknesses to prevent similar tragedies from recurring.
“If a death reveals weaknesses in the system, the coroner’s findings should not end up buried in a file because the lessons learned from a case should help us protect other lives,” she said.
Azalina cited several high-profile cases, including the ongoing inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, as highlighting the importance of proper evidence management, post-mortems, inter-agency coordination and timely communication with families.
She also referred to the deaths of Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim and Teoh Beng Hock, as well as custodial deaths involving A. Kugan and S. Balamurugan, as examples of cases that underscored the need for an independent and credible process when serious questions arise over a death.
The proposed legal reform has also been raised by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), the Malaysian Bar, the Tun Dzaiddin Royal Commission Report and the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the death of Teoh Beng Hock, she said.
“The principle is simple: justice should not depend on whether a case goes viral. Every death that must be reported deserves the same scrutiny, whether it catches nationwide attention or is mourned by a single family,” she said.
Meanwhile, Azalina said the government is also examining a proposal to establish a permanent Law Reform Commission to review national laws and submit reform recommendations on an ongoing, independent and evidence-based basis.
She said law reform should not be driven only by crises but carried out systematically to ensure Malaysia’s legal framework remains relevant to changing social needs.
