An overview of the inheritance legal system in Malaysia and Indonesia: issues faced by both countries

The practice of inheritance, both civil and Islamic, has always been subjected to various laws and regulations and involves the participation from relevant institutions as well as the family of the deceased. Since religion and culture do not exist in isolation, it has been observed in both Malaysia and Indonesia that the practice of inheritance involves various legal systems such as civil law, Islamic law as well as customary practices. Due to the application of various laws, there can exist the issue of conflict of jurisdiction between the three legal authorities. These difficulties are further exacerbated when variant laws and customs exist in certain communities and are tightly held on to by certain individuals, especially those who lack the legal and procedural knowledge of inheritance. This situation leads to adverse implications such as difficulties in the distribution of estate, determination of status of heirs as well as impending disputes among the family members. This paper therefore seeks to examine the legal system involving inheritance and its practices in Malaysia and Indonesia. Through a doctrinal research, it has been found that both Malaysia and Indonesia share similar factors which had attributed to inheritances; First, there is a lack of knowledge among the beneficiaries and second, the court's decision in upholding priority over civil rights. This paper is based primarily on the analysis of secondary sources such as journals, conference papers, textbooks, statutes, case laws, and other library-based documents. The findings of this study show that a cohesive approach needs to be spearheaded by the government in educating the society on the law of inheritance. Legal reforms in terms of the jurisdiction of the judiciary will also serve as an ideal solution over the revolving inheritance issues in both nations