Ariff Kamil
Popular Articles
In M'sia, can you drive through a red light if no one's around?
by Ariff Kamil on 01 April 2021
No.
Msian govt is subsidising workers salaries. Here’s how employers can sign up for it
by Ariff Kamil on 01 April 2020
Note: Article has been updated to reflect the increase in the wage subsidy programme, announced on 6 April 2020. As we write this, Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (MCO) is now...
More industries are allowed to open in phase 3 of MCO. Here’s what you need to know
by Ariff Kamil on 20 April 2020
At the time of writing, it’s been more than a month since the Movement Control Order (MCO) has started. But for some of us, it might have seemed longer than...
Recent Articles
Here's how to EFFECTIVELY ask your property agent (or homeowner) important questions before buying a house
by Ariff Kamil on 17 June 2021
If you’re looking to buy a house, you probably have a rough idea of what you want. Maybe a 3 bedroom condo near to your workplace and close to...
Can the Mageran proposed by Tun Mahathir actually happen?
by Ariff Kamil on 16 June 2021
Now that Mahiaddin has resigned we will be seeing a new Prime Minister soon, but our new PM would potentially lead either a minority government or a unity government. But in addition...
Can M'sian companies get sued if people believed their April Fools' product?
by Ariff Kamil on 12 April 2021
On April Fools’ Day, we’re already expecting to see gags and fake products filling our social media timeline. Companies will put up posts about products that are outlandish and completely...
If you hit a car from behind, are you at fault under M'sian law?
by Ariff Kamil on 02 April 2021
It depends.
In M'sia, can you drive through a red light if no one's around?
by Ariff Kamil on 01 April 2021
No.
Car kena clamp by condo management: Can they legally do that?
by Ariff Kamil on 01 April 2021
Yes.
6 things to know about Malaysia’s new “fake news” Emergency Ordinance
by Ariff Kamil on 13 March 2021
In case you haven’t heard, the government has just gazetted the Emergency Ordinance targeting “fake news” on Covid-19 or the emergency. Titled Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021, it is...
In Malaysia, can you legally “disappear” and start a new life?
by Ariff Kamil on 04 March 2021
We’ve all fantasised about leaving everything behind and starting over somewhere new. Maybe change our name, get a new haircut, work in a cafe, and prepare a vague backstory to...
What happens when you turn up to work under the influence of drugs?
by Ariff Kamil on 05 February 2021
THIS IS THE PERSONAL OPINION OF THE COLUMNIST. The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect ASKLEGAL's position on the issue, nor should it be...
Neighbourhoods can legally block public roads in their taman. This lawsuit explains why
by Ariff Kamil on 02 February 2021
Guarded neighbourhood schemes – the ones with security guards, boom gates and barricades – is commonplace in Malaysia. For both residents or visitors, there might be a slight inconvenience as the guards...
Kedah cancelled their Thaipusam holiday. Can state govt's cancel other holidays too?
by Ariff Kamil on 27 January 2021
We Malaysians love our public holidays. When Malaysia plays sports at an international level, one reason we want them to win is because a win can mean a public...
Property agent asking for booking fee? It's actually ILLEGAL in Malaysia.
by Ariff Kamil on 22 January 2021
*Note: The laws mentioned in this article do not apply in Sabah & Sarawak. Article originally posted on January 2021. If you’re buying a new house from a developer, you’ll probably...
Can M'sians working from home claim their electricity bills from their employer?
by Ariff Kamil on 15 January 2021
Due to the second MCO, most of us are probably forced to work from home again. We would probably welcome being able to avoid the commute to work, and that...
Malaysia might be having snap elections. How soon will it happen?
by Ariff Kamil on 11 January 2021
Recently, there have been speculation that snap elections might happen some time soon. Some have even suggested that it could happen within the first quarter of the year. But if you’re...
Our top 10 most read articles of 2020. And no 2 is about...cows and chickens?
by Ariff Kamil on 31 December 2020
What a year. 2020 must be the year where we spent the most time indoors due to the MCO. New situations started popping up, like balcony karaoke sessions. And in typical...
M'sian telcos were fined RM700k twice this year, for fake prepaid SIM registrations
by Ariff Kamil on 14 December 2020
When we hear about telco companies getting fined, it’s usually for providing unsatisfactory services. This was what happened in July, as 5 telco providers were fined a total of RM4.6...
Do you have to pay tax to LHDN if you win the lottery?
by Ariff Kamil on 03 December 2020
Games involving luck and chance have always been around. You’ve probably played some of them, whether it be the lottery, lucky draws, or even games that involve dice like Monopoly. Image...
What actually happens when someone is investigated under SOSMA?
by Ariff Kamil on 27 November 2020
Every time someone is charged under SOSMA, it’s usually newsworthy. And this happened recently, when news of 29 Malaysian-Indian detainees became viral, due to allegations of police misconduct and abuse of...
Can you choose not to have bin or binti on your MyKad?
by Ariff Kamil on 14 November 2020
When we see a Malay-Muslim name, we might think it’s common – or even compulsory – to have a bin or binti in the name. The same goes with having an a/l...
In Msia, you can donate your organs when you die. But can you donate your whole body?
by Ariff Kamil on 02 November 2020
Organ donations isn’t something you might hear very often, but it actually isn’t new in Malaysia. But it isn’t done automatically, as our country uses an opt-in system, where you need to sign...
Can Selangor residents sue the factory owners who caused the water disruption?
by Ariff Kamil on 08 September 2020
When Selangor’s water disruption was announced to last four days, the state’s residents were understandably upset. The reason for the water cut: pollution at the water source. The suspect: a factory...
An Orang Asli tribe was cheated by a lawyer, who used their money to buy 57 apartments
by Ariff Kamil on 25 August 2020
Imagine you were a millionaire. However, you’re promised that your money would be kept in a trust, and you can live off the interest. That’ll still be an okay deal,...
In Malaysia, insulting your company on social media can get you fired
by Ariff Kamil on 17 August 2020
We’ve all complained about our company before. We probably did it in a rant through WhatsApp, or in person over drinks. There are also a few who would vent their...
A Msian boss was fired for calling his secretary sayang...All. The. Time.
by Ariff Kamil on 11 August 2020
Can calling your coworker sayang actually get you fired? Some of us might use it jokingly in the workplace, especially the office’s resident casanova. And everyone might just laugh it...
If you sue your company and win money from the case, can LHDN tax you for it?
by Ariff Kamil on 27 July 2020
Note: Article was originally published on 26 July 2020. Winning court cases can be great. Not only can justice be served, in some cases you’ll even be awarded a good amount...
Criminal Intellectual Property
Why is it illegal to use Malaysia's coat of arms?
by Ariff Kamil on 03 July 2020
If you haven’t heard already, a book publisher is being investigated for using a modified image of Malaysia’s coat of arms, Jata Negara, on their book. The book, Rebirth, published...
Are digital signatures legal in Malaysia?
by Ariff Kamil on 29 June 2020
Electronic signatures aren’t exactly something new. This writer actually started seeing it around 2010, but it wasn’t exactly something sophisticated. It was basically an image of a general manager’s signature, inserted...
A Malaysian hostel has 'banned' locals from entering. Can they legally do that?
by Ariff Kamil on 23 June 2020
“No shirt, no shoes, no service.” You’ve probably seen signs such as this in front of clubs or restaurants. And it might not seem like a big deal. It’s pretty common...
Malaysiakini is charged for contempt of court...because of their readers' comments?
by Ariff Kamil on 18 June 2020
Update 19 Feb 2021: Malaysiakini has been fined RM500,000 for contempt of court, due to comments from readers on their site. If you’ve been on the internet long enough, you’ve...
This new law will protect SMEs from going bankrupt. How does it work?
by Ariff Kamil on 12 June 2020
[Update: The Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) bill has been made law on Friday, 23 October 2020. The final section has been amended to include the new law] During the MCO, it’s not surprising...
A man challenged Selangor's syariah law on 'unnatural sex'. Why did the court allow it?
by Ariff Kamil on 02 June 2020
Update 25 February 2021: The Federal Court has ruled that Section 28 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Selangor) Enactment 1995, which allows for punishment for unnatural sex, is unconstitutional. The power to...
Riza Aziz is discharged. But that doesn't mean he's innocent of his charges
by Ariff Kamil on 19 May 2020
Most of us would be familiar with the 1MDB scandal, and the recovery efforts to get back the stolen funds. So far, US$322 million – which is roughly RM1.3 billion...
Azmin says businesses can sue state gov't for not following CMCO. But is this true?
by Ariff Kamil on 11 May 2020
On Labour Day, our Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) starting on May 4, which allowed businesses across Malaysia to start operating again. With that news, some...
5 regulations that have been relaxed during phase 4 of the MCO
by Ariff Kamil on 04 May 2020
Believe it or not, we are now more than a month into the MCO. There have been biweekly extensions, with Muhyiddin foreshadowing that there will be another extension after the...
M'sian workers who are fired can now claim unemployment benefits. Here’s how
by Ariff Kamil on 27 April 2020
[Klik sini untuk versi BM] Since the Movement Control Order (MCO) started, nearly 30,000 companies have shut down, while some companies were forced to downsize due to loss of income. The...
More industries are allowed to open in phase 3 of MCO. Here’s what you need to know
by Ariff Kamil on 20 April 2020
At the time of writing, it’s been more than a month since the Movement Control Order (MCO) has started. But for some of us, it might have seemed longer than...
MCO violators will only be fined RM1,000. But can PDRM arrest you as well?
by Ariff Kamil on 12 April 2020
[Update on 15/04/2020: For phase 3, MCO violators will now be arrested and charged in court, instead of being summoned.] We’re now three weeks into the movement control order (MCO), and...
Msian govt is subsidising workers salaries. Here’s how employers can sign up for it
by Ariff Kamil on 01 April 2020
Note: Article has been updated to reflect the increase in the wage subsidy programme, announced on 6 April 2020. As we write this, Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (MCO) is now...
Bank Negara defers all loan payments for 6 months. Here’s how to find out if you qualify
by Ariff Kamil on 26 March 2020
With the Movement Control Order being enforced, people have been ordered to stay home, while businesses have either temporarily closed, or have their employees work from home. Consequently, spending has...
Managers can be jailed for opening the office during the movement order in M'sia
by Ariff Kamil on 20 March 2020
“Stay at home.” This is the message from our Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, requesting Malaysians to abide by the Movement Control Order (MCO). His statement was in response to a...
Do Malaysian influencers have to pay tax?
by Ariff Kamil on 13 March 2020
When scrolling through your FB or Instagram timeline, you’ll probably come across an influencer’s post, probably an image of them at a beach resort somewhere, or promoting the latest health...
4 women you didn’t know helped shape Malaysia and its laws
by Ariff Kamil on 09 March 2020
We’ve been celebrating international women’s day for more than a century. But before it became the International Women’s Day, it was just a National Woman’s Day that started in the...
Anwar claims to have formed a new gov't. Why does Malaysian law allow this?
by Ariff Kamil on 27 February 2020
When we wrote this back in February 2020, there have been serious attempt was a successful attempt to change the current previous Malaysian government headed by current former interim former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir. There...
In M'sia, you can be fined for rearing farm animals in your backyard
by Ariff Kamil on 08 January 2020
It’s not that uncommon for Malaysians to keep a pet. Chances are, either you or your neighbour would have one. But depending on where you live, instead of just hearing meows and...
Is the Malaysia government really stopping people from making Tongkat Ali products?
by Ariff Kamil on 19 August 2019
Tongkat Ali has been used for ages as an energy supplement, or more famously as an aphrodisiac, all the way from Malaysia to Cambodia. Traditionally, it was consumed by boiling the roots then drinking...
Is it legal for people to ask for donations at kopitiams?
by Ariff Kamil on 06 August 2019
Let's play a game. Suppose three people approached you at a kopitiam while you're having dinner. All three of them say that they are from so and so charity, would you be...