Going to a Malaysian court for the first time? Here's who everyone is and what not to do.

In August 2023, during Najib Razak's 1MDB trial, Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah stopped proceedings mid-cross-examination to address the public gallery.

"I can appreciate that members of the public sometimes find the proceedings a bit humorous, but I just want to issue a reminder, this is a court of law, it's not some comedy sketch. So to observe court protocol, please refrain from laughing out loud. Because if I decide to take action, I don't think it will be a laughing matter."

That's the tone. Malaysian courtrooms are open to the public — anyone can walk into an open court hearing — but they run on rules most first-timers don't know until they break one.

1. Who's who in the room

Working from the front:

The Judge or Magistrate — presides over the proceeding. In the Sessions Court it's a Sessions Court Judge; in the Magistrates' Court, a Magistrate. Addressed as "Yang Arif" in the superior courts and Sessions Court, and "Tuan" or "Puan" for a Magistrate. Members of the public don't address the court at all.

The court interpreter (jurubahasa) — sits below or beside the bench and does far more than translate. The interpreter reads out the charge to an accused person, calls names when a case is called up, and administers the oath to witnesses. If you're attending, this is the person whose voice you'll hear most.

The court clerk / recording officer — manages the file, the recording system and the paperwork.

The prosecutor — in criminal matters, a Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP), a legal officer from the Attorney General's Chambers. Worth knowing: in Malaysia the Public Prosecutor (PP) is the Attorney General himself, under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution. A DPP is a prosecuting officer acting under that authority — the opposite of how "DPP" is used in some other Commonwealth countries.

Defence counsel — the lawyer representing the accused. In civil matters, counsel for each party.

The accused — sits in the dock in criminal proceedings.

Witnesses — called by either side to give evidence, sworn in by the interpreter.

Court police / bailiff — security and order in the room.

The public gallery — you. Behind everyone else, and silent.

2. The court hierarchy in one minute

Superior Courts:

• Federal Court — the apex court, headed by the Chief Justice (Ketua Hakim Negara)
• Court of Appeal
• High Court — two, one for Malaya and one for Sabah and Sarawak

Subordinate Courts:

• Sessions Court
• Magistrates' Court — First Class and Second Class Magistrates

Two things constrain a subordinate court: monetary jurisdiction (the maximum it can award, regardless of what's claimed) and territorial jurisdiction. A KL Magistrates' Court cannot hear a matter arising in Sabah or Sarawak — and if a court proceeds without jurisdiction, the whole proceeding can be void and the judgment set aside.

Also in the system: the Syariah Courts (state-level, for Muslims in matters within their jurisdiction), Native Courts in Sabah and Sarawak, and specialised bodies like the Industrial Court and the Tribunal for Consumer Claims.

A Malaysian innovation worth knowing about: the mobile courts of Sabah and Sarawak, created under then-Chief Judge Richard Malanjum. Vehicles converted into courtrooms — staffed by a Magistrate, a Commissioner of Oaths and an interpreter with mobile IT and recording systems — travel into the interior, sometimes by longboat or light aircraft, often bringing officers from other departments along. Much of their work is registering births, without which a child cannot enrol in school or obtain an IC.

3. The rules, from the judiciary's own FAQ

These come straight from the courts' official guidance, and they're enforced.

Dress code — you will be turned away:

• No sleeveless shirts
• No shorts
• No mini skirts (above knee length)
• No jeans
• No slippers
• No caps or helmets
• Clothing shouldn't be flashy in style or colour

Dress "decently and appropriately" — collared shirt, long trousers, covered shoes is the safe formula. If you're unsure, overdress.

Bring your MyKad. Malaysian citizens need their identity card or birth certificate. Foreign nationals need their passport or relevant documents. You may not get past security without it.

Inside the courtroom:

• Rise and bow when the Judge or Magistrate enters and leaves
• Bow every time you enter or leave the courtroom during proceedings
• Be silent throughout and give your full attention
• Come forward when the interpreter calls your name
• Phones, pagers and electronic devices switched off — not silent, off. This traces back to a Chief Registrar's circular from 1999 prohibiting mobile phones in courtrooms.
• No recordings, audio or visual
• No weapons
• No children unless the court permits
• Use simple language, and tell the court if you need an interpreter

If you misbehave, the judge can order you out. And beyond that lies contempt.

4. Photography and recording — this is the serious one

Malaysian courts prohibit photography of proceedings, and breaching that prohibition can lead to contempt of court proceedings.

This extends to online sharing. The most prominent Malaysian example involved a Court Recording and Transcription (CRT) video from the fifth day of Najib's SRC trial, showing defence counsel questioning a witness, which was uploaded to social media and went viral.

And it applies to virtual hearings too. Attendees of online proceedings are bound by the same prohibitions as in a physical courtroom. Screenshots of a Zoom hearing carry the same exposure — even though, as academic commentary has noted, courts have real practical difficulty detecting them.

Practical translation: don't photograph, don't screenshot, don't record, don't livestream, don't post. Not the room, not the lawyers, not the accused walking in. Court complexes have signage precisely so nobody can claim ignorance.

5. If you're the one attending as a party or witness

As an accused person in a criminal matter, the sequence at first appearance:

• The interpreter reads out the charge to you
• You're asked whether you understand it
• You're asked to plead guilty or claim trial
• The court records your plea

Do not plead guilty because it seems faster. A guilty plea is a conviction. If you don't have a lawyer, say you need time to get one — courts routinely allow this. Legal Aid Centres exist. See also: [What happens in the first 24 hours after arrest](/p/pdrm-you-re-under-arrest)

On bail: temporary release on depositing sufficient security, with a bailor undertaking to ensure your attendance throughout the trial. Malaysia now has eJamin, an online bail payment system at ejamin.my — the bailor needs a local online banking account, must be a Malaysian citizen aged 21 or above, and the registered account holder's name must match the bailor's. No admin charges. You'll need the case number from court staff.

As a witness:

• Arrive early and wait to be called by the interpreter
• Answer only what's asked; don't volunteer
• Say so if you don't understand or don't remember
• Ask for an interpreter if you'd be more accurate in your own language. This isn't a weakness — accuracy matters more than fluency.
• If you can't finish your evidence in a day, the court will fix another date

6. Practical tips for a first visit

• Check the cause list. Hearing lists are published; ask at the registry or check the court's portal for your case number and courtroom.
• Arrive early. Security screening takes time, and courts start on time even when cases don't.
• Seats are limited in high-profile matters, on a first-come basis.
• Not everything is open. Matters heard in chambers or in camera are closed, and certain proceedings — family matters, cases involving children — are restricted.
• You can take notes. Silently, by hand.
• Don't react. No laughing, no muttering, no shaking your head. The Sequerah warning is a real illustration of where that goes.
• Bring water and patience. Cases are called in batches and yours may be mentioned for two minutes after a three-hour wait.

What to actually do

• Dress properly. Collared shirt, long trousers, covered shoes. No jeans, shorts, slippers or caps.
• Bring your MyKad.
• Phone off before you enter.
• Rise and bow for the judge; bow entering and leaving.
• Silence. No recording, no photos, no screenshots — including in virtual hearings.
• If you're charged, don't plead guilty without advice. Ask for time to get a lawyer.
• If you need an interpreter, say so.