Enforcement of Foreign Judgments

Judgments and orders for money payments by way of damages or compensation handed down by superior courts of some foreign jurisdictions are recognized in Malaysia under the Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments Act 1958 for registration and enforcement through the Malaysian courts. 

The Act recognizes judgments given in civil or criminal proceedings of the High Courts of United Kingdom, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Brunei which may be enforced in Malaysia as if the judgment had originally been given in a Malaysian Court. This means such foreign judgments can be directly executed in Malaysia procedurally without further litigation.


For those foreign judgments by courts of other jurisdictions not falling under the Act, a judgment creditor has to bring a fresh action in the Malaysian courts to sue on the foreign judgment in order for that judgment to be recognized and be enforceable in Malaysia.