KUALA LUMPUR – Landowners facing encroachment issues must seek redress through proper legal channels and avoid taking matters into their own hands, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said today.
She stressed that any disputes over ownership or objections to construction on land alleged to have been encroached upon must be formally recorded, either through a police report or a legal notice issued by a lawyer.
“The registration of the objection must be on record, whether through a police report or by way of a lawyer’s letter. Otherwise, it becomes a situation where, for example, party A says yes and party B says no,” she told reporters after launching the Second Chance Policy Discharge Programme Fast Track 2026 in Putrajaya, reported Bernama.
Azalina said Malaysia’s legal system remains orderly and should be respected.
“I am confident that our system is still orderly and must be followed. But if you take the law into your own hands, there is a risk that the issue could escalate into something more sensitive, as such matters often involve issues of belief and religion, which carry a different level of sensitivity,” she said.
She was responding to a call by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, urging landowners to lodge police reports to enable investigations and possible prosecution if encroachment offences are proven.
Meanwhile, Azalina said the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department is prepared to offer mediation services to parties involved in disputes.
“It does not necessarily have to go to court. Mediation can help in terms of faster conflict resolution and also reduce financial costs, which may be lower compared to engaging private legal services.
“Our laws do encourage mediation, such as through the establishment of anti-bullying tribunals and the like. This will be a focus of the Legal Affairs Division, as beyond the courts, we want to activate mediation centres across all aspects of our society,” she said. – February 16, 2026