JANUARY 15 — The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, multidisciplinary organisation working to create knowledge, build awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law worldwide.
The WJP produces original, independent research and data about the rule of law, including the WJP Rule of Law Index, the world’s leading source for original, independent data on the rule of law.
The Rule of Law Index 2025 is the latest report in an annual series measuring the rule of law based on the experiences and perceptions of the general public and in-country legal practitioners and experts worldwide.
The report covers 143 countries and jurisdictions, relying on more than 215,000 household and 4,100 expert surveys to measure how the rule of law is experienced and perceived in practical, everyday situations by the general public worldwide.
The WJP Index findings have been cited by heads of state, chief justices, business leaders, and public officials, including coverage by more than 2,500 media outlets worldwide.
The conceptual framework of the Index is comprised of eight factors:
- Constraints on Government Powers
- Absence of Corruption
- Open Government
- Fundamental Rights
- Order and Security
- Regulatory Enforcement
- Civil Justice
- Criminal Justice
Based on the eight factors, Denmark is ranked first out of 143 countries with a score of 0.90. The Index scores range from 0 to 1, with 1 indicating the strongest adherence to the rule of law.
Malaysia is ranked 56 out of 143 countries with a score of 0.57. In South-east Asia (SEA), Malaysia is second to Singapore, which is ranked 16 globally with a score of 0.78.
Countries are also ranked by each of the eight factors, with each factor further divided into sub-factors.
For Civil Justice, the sub-factors are whether it is (I) accessible and affordable to the people; (ii) free of discrimination; (iii) free of corruption; (iv) free of improper government influence; (v) not subject to unreasonable delay; (vi) effectively enforced; and (vii) whether alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms are accessible, impartial, and effective.
Malaysia is ranked 34 with a score of 0.62 for Civil Justice – again, second to Singapore in SEA (ranked 6 with a score of 0.81).
For Criminal Justice, the sub-factors are whether (I) the criminal investigation system is effective; (ii) the criminal adjudication system is timely and effective; (iii) the correctional system is effective in reducing criminal behavior; (iv) the criminal system is impartial; (v) the criminal system is free of corruption; (vi) the criminal system is free of improper government influence; and (vii) there is due process of the law and rights of the accused.
Malaysia is ranked 45 with a score of 0.56 for Criminal Justice – yet again, second to Singapore in SEA (ranked 8 with a score of 0.76).
Malaysia scores better in Civil Justice than Criminal Justice. If the Index is based on the experiences and perceptions of the general public and in-country legal practitioners, then the better score is reflective of what it stands for.
Do you not agree?
But there is more to it. Malaysia can certainly do better with just a score of 0.62 (B-) for Civil Justice and 0.56 (C+) for Criminal Justice.
The sub-factors for each factor inform us where and what the country can improve.
The sub-factors of accessibility and affordability, corruption free, delay, effective enforcement and ADR for Civil Justice; and timeliness and effectiveness, impartiality, corruption free and due process for Criminal Justice are among the areas of reforms that the judiciary must undertake.
Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh must therefore be commended for the Judicial Blueprint – A Decade of Purposeful Reform which he outlined in his speech at the Opening of the Legal Year 2026.
The Blueprint “says what it says” – to borrow the Chief Justice’s words when he was asked during a press conference to explain his remarks in his speech.
For a purposeful reform in the next decade, the judiciary must make the Judicial Blueprint happen.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
