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INTRODUCTION

The Water Services Industry Act 2006 (WSIA) marks a transformative intervention in the Malaysian water sector, centralising regulatory authority and embedding a coherent structure for the provision of water supply and sewerage services. Designed initially to address inefficiencies and fragmentation across states, WSIA simultaneously carries embedded principles of environmental law and economic regulation, albeit often implicitly rather than overtly articulated. This article critically examines WSIA to uncover its regulatory philosophies, assess its contemporary relevance, and propose reform pathways for strengthening Malaysia's water governance in an era shaped by climate change and human rights imperatives.

Malaysia is one of the largest producers and exporters of palm oil globally, contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings. Two concerns have arisen in this industry: the methods employed to cultivate and extract the optimum volume of oil palm, and their impact on human health. For optimum production of oil palm, the application of chemical fertilisers is a necessity. If fertilisers are applied in appropriate quantities following the occupational safety and health practices according to the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 ('OSHA 1994'), the risks associated with the use of such chemicals upon workers may be mitigated. This article aims to examine the effects of chemical fertilisers on the health of workers in oil palm plantations who are tasked with applying fertilisers and the legal protections currently available for their rights to safety and health.

Globally, there is an unfettered right of access to court proceedings by the public, which is consilient with the principle of open justice as it is regarded as an essential tenet of any justice system to guarantee public confidence, independence, and accountability in the administration of justice. In Malaysia, Section 15 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 states that all civil and criminal matters shall be deemed to be open and accessible to the public. Journalists are often keen to report on cases that are newsworthy and those that garners public interest wherein they act as an intermediary between the public and the courts.

To generations who have passed their lives in the law his is truly clarum et venerabile nomen. Lord Denning was a colossus who strode the judicial landscape in the second half of the last century shedding lambent light on ticklish legal corners and illuminating the legal and judicial landscape with his effulgence. He was unique. His tenure as a judge expanded the universe of judicial discourse. This year 2024 marks his 125th birth anniversary (January 23) and today, March 5 is his 25th death anniversary. It is appropriate that we remember him, draw inspiration from his life and work and salute his memory.