SEGi’s Faculty of Law enabled its students to gain valuable exposure to constitutional law discourse through participation in a special talk hosted by Rise of Social Efforts (ROSE). The event, “Sarawak’s Place in The Federation: Sarawak’s Place, Constitutional Rights, Federal Promises and the Path Forward”, took place on 21 September 2025 and featured renowned constitutional law scholar Professor Andrew Harding. Among the attendees was University of London LLB student Adzierul Adenan, who shared his reflections on the intellectually stimulating session.
The talk provided critical perspectives on constitutional rights, federal-state relations, and the challenges of decentralisation. Professor Harding’s comparative approach, drawing on international governance models such as the asymmetrical devolution of the United Kingdom and the structures of the European Union, encouraged participants to think beyond Malaysia’s legal framework. For SEGi College Sarawak’ students like Adzierul, this was an opportunity to connect academic learning from modules such as Public Law and EU Law with real-world governance debates.
Adzierul highlighted how foundational knowledge acquired in class allowed him to fully appreciate the nuances of Professor Harding’s insights into subsidiarity, devolution, and federal promises. He described it as intellectually rewarding to engage with concepts like legislative subsidiarity while comparing Malaysia’s governance with global models. During the Q&A session, he was able to pose a question on centralisation versus decentralisation in Malaysia, gaining further clarity from a scholar of international standing.
Engagements of this nature underline the importance of constitutional awareness in building stronger legal institutions. According to the United Nations Development Programme, access to justice and inclusive governance are central to fostering peace and sustainable development. Yet the World Justice Project’s 2023 Rule of Law Index indicates that more than 60% of countries, including Malaysia, face persistent challenges in maintaining checks and balances. Events like this provide future lawyers with the analytical tools needed to uphold justice, integrity, and accountability.
By facilitating student involvement in such high-level legal discussions, SEGi continues to prepare its graduates not only to excel academically but also to contribute meaningfully to Malaysia’s evolving legal landscape. These opportunities empower students to link theory with practice, broaden their perspectives, and strengthen their readiness to play active roles in shaping governance and justice systems that align with global standards.
This event is organised in support of the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
SDG 4: Quality Education
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
