Chapter 1: Introduction to Law

Law is basically a tool to regulate the economic and social behaviour of society which implements the element of control into the day-to-day activities of its citizens and its businesses.

Law is basically a tool created by banks and companies to regulate the commercial or business transactions with customers.

Law is needed to regulate and control the affairs of society so that members of society can interact with each other harmoniously.

The relationship between law and justice is that law aims to do justice.

All laws must be just law. If law is unjust, it is void.

Moral standards of a community have a profound influence over the development of local laws, and the purpose of the law is to govern the conduct of all members of society whilst ethics and morality guides individuals in ascertaining the soundness of rules and their impact upon relationships.

All laws must be moral laws. If law is immoral, law is void.

Rule of Law is based on the idea that laws should conform to a minimum standard of fairness in both content and procedure.

There are three components of Rule of Law:

(1) No person must be punished except for a breach of the law;

(2) All persons are equal before the law irrespective of the status of position; and

(3) The rights or freedoms of citizens are enforceable in the courts.

Rule of Law is not practiced in Malaysia.

The Federal Constitution declares itself to be the supreme law of the Federation.

Any law enacted by Parliament which is inconsistent with the Federal Constitution may be declared as void.

There are three classifications of law namely civil law, common law, and socialist law.

There are two classifications of law namely written law and unwritten law.

Three classifications of law are public law, international law, and private law.