(From left) Phillip, Ahmad, Wan Normazlan and Teo at the book launch.

THE FIRST Malaysian book on military law and legal proceedings was launched by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the ministry recently.

Published by LexisNexis Malaysia, Military Legal Proceedings in Malaysia deals primarily with the investigation of offences and charges, summary dealings in relation to charges, proceedings before courts martial, and reviews of convictions and sentences meted out in summary dealings and courts martial.

The book was jointly authored by former Defence Ministry judge advocate-general Teo Say Eng and Subang Royal Malaysian Air Force base comamander Colonel Wan Normazlan Che Jaafar.

"Teo and Col Wan Mazlan have together jointly built up a wealth of experience and knowledge over the years in this area of law and this makes them uniquely qualified for this endeavour," LexisNexis managing director Phillip Karuppiah said.

Teo who is currently judicial commissioner at the Ipoh High Court, has served as a magistrate, sessions court judge, federal counsel, Industrial Court chairman, legal officer and judicial officer.

He has authored several legal publications in addition to the more casual Your Rights and the Law released in 2007 as a lay man’s guide to legal issues Malaysians may face in daily life.

Wan Normazlan has been a prosecutor, courts martial president, Royal Malaysian Air Force human resource director and its Legal Department director.

"It goes without saying that the book will be an invaluable guide to military officers and those involved in courts martial. It will also serve as an important reference for legal practitioners and students wanting to familiarise themselves with military court proceedings in Malaysia," Phillip said.

"Its publication in Malaysia is timely as it can serve as text for students taking up this subject at law faculties of universities and colleges. Local universities do not as yet offer Military Law as a subject. This could have been because there has not been, until now, a good textbook on this area."

Most publications on the subject are currently foreign ones and lack local case studies and analyses of the Malaysian legal system.