Azalina said that while the Cabinet could accept and approve proposals by a government-appointed committee, it remains important for MPs to accept the changes.

She said the parliamentary debates sometimes lag behind current realities.

“I have to bring the laws to Parliament. Now, MPs must also understand that the world is changing,” she told a press conference after officiating a convention on criminal justice and legal reforms here.

Azalina also said both the civil and criminal justice system recognises that there must be change.

“So, in 2026, our politicians must also recognise that there must be change. Change not from the political perspective, but change in the way we do things,” she said, urging MPs and senators to engage in debates that would drive reforms for national progress.

On another matter, Azalina said the Child Commissioner’s Office is studying a fixed detention period for minors involved in serious crimes, such as murder, drug trafficking and firearms possession.

“There is a great concern from that perspective. The Child Commissioner’s Office is coming up with certain studies and proposals that will be brought to the government once they are ready,” she said in response to questions on minors being held indefinitely under the Criminal Procedure Code, currently at the discretion of the rulers.

For adults, laws were amended in 2023 to allow judges to impose the death penalty or jail terms of between 30 and 40 years for serious offences.

The convention forms part of a series of gatherings to provide feedback to a 25-member committee led by retired Federal Court judge Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal, tasked with reviewing outdated provisions in the Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Evidence Act.

The legal affairs division at the Prime Minister’s Department said last year the committee would also propose reforms to improve the efficiency of the criminal justice system.

Formed in March 2025, the committee has 18 months to submit recommendations aimed at reinforcing the rule of law, enhancing enforcement, and safeguarding human rights.

An ad hoc panel of legal, enforcement, technology and civil society experts has also been set up to provide technical input and ensure proposals meet current needs.