Mental Capacity Act is in the pipeline

Law and institutional reform deputy minister M Kulasegaran announced that an act known as Mental Capacity Act is in the pipeline.

“The new proposed legislation seeks to allow individuals to make early preparations in advance for the management of their affairs, such as advanced medical directives who may make legal decisions on their behalf, management of their property, using a lasting power of attorney, in the event they ever become mentally incapacitated at any time in the future.

“These decisions can be made by the person in advance, before becoming mentally incapacitated,” said Kulasegaran after a meeting session with the Medico – Legal Society, via his Instagram account.

He said the legislation have been enacted in the United Kingdom in 2005 and Singapore, 2008.

A workshop and engagement session with all the stakeholders would be held next month.

He added the legislation would be timely as Malaysia is turning into an aging society.