Strengthening Legal Education in Malaysia: Advocating for the Inclusion of Food Safety and Food Security Law in the Curriculum

The integration of food safety and food security law into the Malaysian legal education curriculum is vital in addressing the complexities of legal issues arising from these domains. The rapid pace of global trade and advancements in food production technologies have heightened the need for legal professionals to understand the regulatory frameworks governing food safety and food security, both domestically and internationally. As Malaysia advances efforts to strengthen its food supply chain and simultaneously safeguard public health, legal education must evolve accordingly. This study examines the awareness, interest, and perceived importance of food safety and food security law among Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) students at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTMLaw). Based on the close-ended online survey, the findings reveal limited student awareness, particularly regarding the regulatory frameworks for food safety and food security. The data underscore the urgent need to introduce a specialised course on food safety and food security, either as an elective or a core course in the LL.B curriculum. It is the best-equipped future legal practitioners to respond to national and global food-related legal challenges. This study further proposed essential syllabus components for the course, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of food law in practice.