E-KEHAKIMAN SYSTEM ENHANCES COURT EFFICIENCY, EXPANDS PUBLIC ACCESS

By Nordiana Barka & Nor Fariza Mohd Razhi

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- The e-Kehakiman system plays a crucial role in Malaysia's digital transformation of the judiciary, enhancing case management efficiency while expanding public access to justice.

Director of the e-Kehakiman division, Harmi Thamri Mohamad @ Shaharudin, said the digital platform, introduced by the Judiciary in 2011, was part of a transformation initiative aimed at addressing the increasing number of court cases, which had contributed to delays in case disposal.

He said the e-Kehakiman system comprises several core components, including the Case Management System (CMS), which manages attendance registration and case calling in court, the e-Filing System (eFS) and the e-Kehakiman portal.

The e-Filing system is accessible only to lawyers and government agencies, while the CMS is used by court users such as judges, judicial officers and court staff, he added. 

“The e-Filing system is also equipped with the e-Review module, a digital platform that allows users to attend civil proceedings online.

“Before this module was introduced, lawyers and officers from government agencies were required to be physically present in court for every scheduled proceeding, including civil case management sessions,” he said, adding that members of the public and private companies can directly access the e-Kehakiman portal.

Following the implementation of the e-Kehakiman system, Harmi Thamri said congestion at court counters has been reduced, with physical court proceedings now largely limited to criminal cases and full civil trials.

“Users are no longer bound by location or court operating hours, which are limited to office hours. This saves time and costs, as parties can access the system at any time without having to be physically present at court premises, particularly for the filing of cases and documents.

“The system also reduces the need for physical attendance, as parties can now participate in proceedings remotely. This approach not only saves time but also helps ease congestion that often burdens court operations and stakeholders,” he said.

He added that reduced physical presence by lawyers, parties involved and the public has also contributed to a more focused courtroom environment, allowing courts to operate more efficiently.

With the system in place, he said document reviews, file searches, court minutes searches and cause lists can now be conducted online, eliminating the need for physical attendance.

“Parties can resolve pre-trial issues online more quickly, thereby expediting case progression. During trials, the court and involved parties refer to digital copies of filed documents without having to examine physical documents,” he said.

Harmi Thamri noted that prior to the system’s implementation, all document filings had to be done manually at court registry counters, a process that was prone to weaknesses such as lost or damaged documents.

“Last-minute manual filings often resulted in documents not being included in the physical court file, which could disrupt scheduled court proceedings,” he said.

He added that in 2016, the Judiciary began developing Phase Two of the e-Kehakiman system for civil and criminal cases, which was initially rolled out at 20 court locations.

“Upon completion, its use was gradually expanded to all court locations in Peninsular Malaysia. The Judiciary is now in the process of developing Phase Three, which focuses on new modules and is expected to be implemented by mid-2027,” he said.

Meanwhile, lawyer Ahmad Shamil Azad said the e-Kehakiman system has made matters easier for legal practitioners, particularly for brief hearings that do not require physical attendance.

“For example, lawyers based in other states can attend e-Review proceedings for cases in Kuala Lumpur without having to travel long distances for short hearings that usually last 15 to 30 minutes,” said the former Sungai Siput magistrate.

He said there has been no major change in criminal proceedings, as most hearings are still conducted in open court.

“However, the digital system makes it easier for lawyers to submit documents to the court, and evidence is stored more securely as documents are scanned and uploaded directly into the system,” he said, adding that the risk of lost or misplaced documents is now significantly lower.

Another lawyer, Putera Muhammad Nor Hashim, said the system reduces the need for handling multiple physical forms, as most documents are automatically generated once requested through the system.

“Court dates, status checks and service of notices are now much faster, without the need for manual interaction with court officers. The process is quicker and involves fewer adjournments.

“If a case is postponed, parties can be notified earlier without having to attend court,” he said, adding that travel and printing costs have also been reduced due to the system’s digital nature.

Sharing his experience, an online news portal journalist, Faisal Asyraf Mohd Rofli, said the e-Kehakiman system helps media practitioners prepare and plan coverage schedules without having to physically check cases at court, especially those involving high-profile individuals.

“With such a system, the media are better able to perform their role. Previously, journalists had to check cases one by one at court counters, but now everything is literally at our fingertips,” he said.

Meanwhile, operations assistant Mimi Khamiza Zainudin, 32, said the e-Kehakiman system has greatly helped members of the public access judicial services online without having to go to court, such as checking case status, downloading certain documents and submitting applications or case registrations, depending on the type of case.

“For example, in traffic summons cases, the public can check summonses, mention dates or decisions through the e-Kehakiman system without having to queue for long hours at counters. This reduces transport costs and waiting time, making the process faster and more efficient,” she said.

-- BERNAMA