PETALING JAYA: Transport Minister Anthony Loke has assured that the federal government’s review of Malaysia’s maritime laws is aimed at harmonising regulations across the country, not centralising power from Sabah and Sarawak.
“We are not taking over state powers. Maritime rights under the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) will be fully respected.
“What we want is to harmonise so that if there are inconsistencies between the laws in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, we can align them with everyone’s agreement,” he said at a press conference after officiating the launch of Malaysian Maritime Week 2025.
Loke said both state governments are involved in the ongoing legal review and have appointed representatives to the Maritime Law Reform and Review Committee, chaired by Federal Court judge Tan Sri Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan.
The committee is currently reviewing six key maritime-related laws, including the Malaysia Shipping Ordinance, the Sabah and Sarawak Merchant Shipping Ordinances and legislation on port operations and privatisation.
“Many of these laws were written decades ago, some even before independence and they no longer reflect the needs of today’s industry.
“We need to update them so our maritime sector can stay competitive and ready for the future,“ Loke said.
The committee has been given a one-year timeline, but Loke said the government is prepared to proceed with any proposed changes as soon as they are ready — even if that’s earlier than expected.
Loke also said that the government is preparing to table a new bill to establish a special court for maritime cases under the existing High Court structure.
“Right now, there’s no dedicated court for maritime matters. We want to set one up so we can better handle legal issues in this field,“ he added.
The ministry is expected to table the first batch of legal amendments in Parliament by December this year, before the end of the Fifteenth Parliament session.
