From constitutional renewal to digital safety and labour protections, major reforms reshaped governance, public trust, and citizens’ daily lives.
From Liew Li Xuan
Now that it is the new year, it is tempting to assess 2025 through headline politics or short‑term economic indicators.
Yet, the deeper story lies in institutional repair and legal renewal. This was the year Malaysia began reshaping how the state governs, regulates, and relates to its citizens. The reforms were not revolutionary in spectacle, but they were foundational in substance, moving the nation towards governance anchored in clear rules, accountability, and public welfare.
From a legal and constitutional perspective, 2025 marked a shift away from executive discretion towards stronger institutional checks.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Parliamentary Service Bill 2025 strengthened Parliament’s independence and oversight capabilities, ensuring that legislation and policy decisions are scrutinised, justified, and refined openly rather than driven by unchecked executive fiat.
These changes mean that decisions affecting people’s rights and resources are now subject to higher standards of transparency and accountability.
Public finance and procurement reforms were also significant. The Government Procurement Bill 2025 introduced clearer rules for how government contracts are awarded and reviewed, including an appeal mechanism that can curb waste and corruption, thereby protecting taxpayers’ interests.
The Finance Bill 2025 updated tax and revenue laws, with direct implications for investment planning, business compliance, and household finances. The Supply Act 2025 ensured continuity of public spending, safeguarding essential services and development programmes nationwide.
Last year also saw meaningful legal advancements in labour and social protection. The Gig Workers Act 2025 provided legal recognition and basic rights for freelance and platform‑based workers, bringing protections closer to those enjoyed by formally employed workers.
Complementing this, the Employment Insurance System (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Employees’ Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2025 strengthened the social safety net for those facing job loss or workplace risks, solidifying basic protections for working families across Malaysia.
In the digital space, while the broader Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866) is set to come into force this year, its enactment and preparatory implementation represent a major legal milestone.
The Act outlines obligations for application, content, and network service providers to curb harmful content and design safer digital environments for the public, especially children and vulnerable users.
Subsidiary regulations being developed under the Act will require online platforms to implement age‑appropriate safeguards including parental controls and age‑verification for users under 16 and to submit online safety plans demonstrating how harmful content will be mitigated. This reflects a legal pivot towards online safety without suppressing lawful expression, and it gives regulators clearer tools to hold platforms accountable.
Alongside this is the broader regulatory framework requiring major social media and messaging platforms to be licensed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 once they meet prescribed thresholds of local users, meaning that global platforms operating in Malaysia are legally accountable for content standards and safety obligations.
Education, community, and youth welfare also saw legal attention. The Anti‑Bullying Bill 2025 established protections for children in educational settings, while the National Skills Development (Amendment) Bill 2025 strengthened technical and vocational pathways to prepare young Malaysians for a technology‑driven economy.
Taken together, these reforms signal a broader reorientation of governance. The government in 2025 appeared less focussed on asserting control and more concerned with building credibility through legal clarity and institutional strength. Consistent application of law, transparent decision‑making, and visible accountability help restore public trust and create a stronger social contract between the government and citizens.
Of course, challenges remain. Structural inequalities persist, enforcement gaps endure, and political consensus around reform is fragile. Institutional change is slow, and its benefits uneven. Yet the significance of 2025 lies in its deliberate, incremental progress. Quiet recalibration, when anchored in law and institutions, can reshape governance over time.
Looking ahead to 2026, the task is to consolidate these gains, complete implementation of laws like the Online Safety Act, and ensure that reforms benefit all Malaysians. If the foundations laid this year are strengthened with courage, transparency, and inclusivity, then the next year could see Malaysia move from cautious rebuilding towards transformative change.
Big steps are possible when institutional reforms are nurtured with consistency and foresight. Let 2026 be the year law, institutions, and citizens’ trust converge to create a stronger, fairer, and more resilient nation. - FMT
Liew Li Xuan is a youth advocate and founder of LifeUp Malaysia, an organisation dedicated to digital wellbeing, preventing cyberbullying and promoting scam awareness.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
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