# Akta

> An Akta is a law passed by the Malaysian Parliament — each one is given an official number and published in the Laws of Malaysia series by the Attorney General's Chambers.

- Category: glossary
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/glossary/akta

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**Bahasa Malaysia:** Akta · **English:** Act (of Parliament) · **中文:** 法令

Akta is a written law that has been **passed by Parliament** and assented
to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Before it is passed, it is known as a
**Bill** (Rang Undang-Undang).

## In practice

Every Akta carries **two markers** that often confuse new readers:

- The **year** in its title — the year it began to be drafted, e.g. *Companies Act 2016*.
- The **Act number** — its official serial number, e.g. *Act 777*.

Both refer to the same law. The correct full citation is
**Companies Act 2016 (Act 777)**.

Three types of written law that are often confused:

| Term | Enacted by | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Akta** | Federal Parliament | Companies Act 2016 (Act 777) |
| **Enactment** | State Legislative Assembly | Each state's own Enactment |
| **Regulations / Rules** | A Minister, under powers granted by an Act | Regulations made under the parent Act |

Regulations are **subsidiary legislation** — they cannot exceed the powers
granted by their parent Act.

The enforceable text of every Akta is published in the **Laws of Malaysia**
series maintained by the Attorney General's Chambers (Jabatan Peguam
Negara). The reprinted version (*reprint*) consolidates all amendments up
to a given date — always check the reprint date before relying on a
particular provision.

## Related terms

- [Federal Territory](/en/glossary/wilayah-persekutuan)
- [MyKad](/en/glossary/mykad)

## Sources

- Laws of Malaysia — Portal Rasmi Jabatan Peguam Negara — https://lom.agc.gov.my/ (Jabatan Peguam Negara)
- Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia — https://www.agc.gov.my/ (Jabatan Peguam Negara)

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