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• Malaysia’s Cross-Border Insolvency Framework Is Now Complete

  The Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency has firmly landed in Malaysia. On 28 August 2026, the Cross-Border Insolvency Act 2026 (CBI Act) came into force. Malaysia now has a dedicated statutory framework for the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings and for cross-border court cooperation. But the CBI Act is only one part of the framework. The...

• A Focus On Malaysia

  This post highlights five FCPA enforcement actions (ranging from the largest FCPA settlement of all-time to one of the first FCPA enforcement actions in 1978) concerning conduct (in whole or in part) in Malaysia. Goldman Sachs (2020) The enforcement action (the largest FCPA settlement in history) concerned bribes to various Malaysian and Abu Dhabi officials...

• NY CHILD WELFARE – NEWBORN TEMPORARILY PLACED WITH GRANDMOTHER

  In this case, we have a newborn, an at-risk mother but with a credible grandmother. thus, the court feels that the risk is mitigated by supervision, and the child is temporarily placed with family, not removed…. noting of course that this is all temporary before trial. MATTER OF KENDREW T., 2026 NY Slip Op 51004...

• Malaysia, taken seriously: tax, treaty and residence for the International Private Client

  Malaysia rewards a second look from internationally mobile clients. A territorial tax system, no estate or general capital gains tax, a foreign-income exemption now extended to 2036, a mature double tax treaty with the United Kingdom, four residence routes and a natural fit with the Gulf, assessed by a dual-qualified barrister and Spanish abogado.

• Fugitive FCPA Defendant Seeks A Pardon

  In 2018, the DOJ announced that Low Taek Jho (Jho Low – pictured), Ng Chong Hwa (Roger Ng – a former managing director at Goldman Sachs), and Tim Leissner (the former Southeast Asia Chairman at Goldman Sachs and Participating Manager Director) were charged with FCPA offenses for paying bribes to various Malaysian and Abu Dhabi officials...

• Petition Summary: Stationary and Portable Air Compressors from Malaysia, The People’s Republic of China, and The Socialist Republic of Vietnam

  On April 30, 2026, Mat Industries, LLC (“Petitioner”) filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on stationary and portable air compressors from Malaysia, The People’s Republic of China, and The Socialist Republic of Vietnam. SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION The proposed scope of these investigations is as follows: The merchandise covered by...

• Immigration Enforcement Activity in APAC: What Employers Need to Know (Video Chat)

  Immigration authorities across APAC are stepping up enforcement activity, with employers increasingly facing unannounced inspections and on‑site investigations. Our Global Immigration and Mobility attorneys examine the trends driving increased immigration authority activity in the region, with a particular focus on Malaysia and Vietnam. The panel discusses how these enforcement actions typically unfold, common triggers, potential...

• Malaysia JPDP publishes guidelines on DPIA, Privacy by Design, and automated decision-making and profiling

  The Personal Data Protection Department (JPDP) has introduced three new guidelines—Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), Data Protection by Design (DPbD), and Automated Decision-Making and Profiling (ADMP)—to enhance proactive measures for data handlers, particularly regarding the use of AI in personal data processing. Personal Data Protection Commissioner Shariffah Rashidah Syed Othman emphasized that these guidelines are...

• End of the Sultan of Sulu Saga? The Paris Court of Appeal Annuls the Final Award

  On December 9, 2025, the Paris Court of Appeal rendered what should be the ultimate decision in the Sultan of Sulu saga, annulling the final arbitral award that had purported to order Malaysia to pay US$ 14.92 billion to the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu. As we previously reported, the French Supreme Court’s November...

• Africa dispatch: obstetric violence emerges as a continental crisis, experts warn

  A recent discussion among legal and human rights experts has exposed the alarming scale of obstetric violence in Africa, a crisis that contributes to the continent’s disproportionately high maternal mortality rates. The findings, shared during a virtual panel, underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms in maternal healthcare. This dispatch was co-authored by Divyabharthi Baradhan...

Featured documents

• Cancellation of Malaysian Employment Pass at Conclusion of Work Assignment

  Employers are reminded to cancel Malaysian work permits in a timely manner upon completion of a work assignment or face possible adverse consequences, including difficulty getting new work permits for other employees and travel restrictions in Malaysia for the affected individual. Foreign nationals ...

• Malaysian Court Says Christian Publications Can Use the Word "Allah"

  Bernama reports that in Malaysia, the Kuala Lumpur High Court has ruled that Christians may use the word “Allah” and three other Arabic words in their religious publications for educational purposes. The court held that a 1986 Home Ministry ban on use of the words was unconstitutional. Publications ...

• Mapping out Malaysia’s fintech regulatory landscape: A fintech founder’s guide

  Malaysia has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s most progressive fintech markets, offering a comprehensive regulatory framework that balances innovation with consumer protection. This week’s article highlights the regulatory landscape in Malaysia for founders considering expansion into Malaysia....

• Immigration Enforcement Activity in APAC: What Employers Need to Know (Video Chat)

  Immigration authorities across APAC are stepping up enforcement activity, with employers increasingly facing unannounced inspections and on‑site investigations. Our Global Immigration and Mobility attorneys examine the trends driving increased immigration authority activity in the region, with a...

• 158 Students in Malaysia Sickened By Foodborne Illness

  More than 150 students at a boarding school in Kuala Nerang, Malaysia, were sickened with a foodborne illness. The government’s news agency Bernama reported that seven of the students at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Syed Ahmad were admitted to the hospital and that two have already been...

• Malaysia to Focus on Climate-related Risks in the Financial Sector in 2021

  On February 24, 2021, Malaysia’s Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) held its fourth meeting to discuss regulatory priorities to support the financial industry’s response to climate-related risks in 2021. The JC3 was established in 2019 to pursue collaborative actions for building climate...

• Malaysia Prime Minister backs BRICS call for global AI governance

  It is reported that, speaking at the 17th BRICS Summit, Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the BRICS statement on global AI governance, and emphasised (1) Malaysia’s efforts in championing the ASEAN AI Safety Network; and (2) Malaysia’s commitment to its National Artificial...

• Malaysia JPDP publishes guidelines on DPIA, Privacy by Design, and automated decision-making and profiling

  The Personal Data Protection Department (JPDP) has introduced three new guidelines—Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), Data Protection by Design (DPbD), and Automated Decision-Making and Profiling (ADMP)—to enhance proactive measures for data handlers, particularly regarding the use of AI in...

• Malaysia Airlines Must Compensate Families Regardless of Whether Flight 370 was Diverted by Crew or Hijacked

  Someone changed the course of Flight MH370 and turned off the aircraft’s transponder.  Turning off an aircraft’s transponder makes it more difficult for the plane to be tracked by radar.  A hijacker with even minimal flight training would have known that.  But there is one wrinkle.  The transponder ...

• Guest Post: Malaysia – No Appraisal Right, Only Dissenting Right in Compulsory Acquisition

  Like certain U.S. states, the country of Malaysia does not give dissenting shareholders any right to appraisal of the value of their shares. Instead, the Malaysian Capital Markets and Services Act of 2007 (“Act”) provides that in a “compulsory acquisition,” dissenting shareholders may seek what...