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SYNOPSIS
Inheritance planning is often overlooked until a crisis occurs, yet it has significant legal, financial, and emotional implications for families left behind. In Malaysia, the process of distributing a deceased person’s estate is governed by different legal frameworks for Muslims and non-Muslims, leading to common misunderstandings, delays, and disputes—particularly when proper planning is not done in advance.
This 2-hour physical talk aims to provide engineers with a structured, practical, and systems-based understanding of inheritance laws in Malaysia. Using a moderated forum format, the session will engage both Muslim and non-Muslim participants by comparing processes, highlighting shared challenges, and clarifying key differences between faraid, wasiat, hibah, and civil inheritance laws.
The discussion will begin by examining the real-world problems beneficiaries face when claiming inheritance, including administrative bottlenecks, frozen bank accounts, untransferred properties, incomplete documentation, family disputes, and jurisdictional overlaps between Syariah and civil courts. These issues will be illustrated through common case scenarios familiar to working professionals.
The forum will then walk participants through the actual end-to-end process of estate administration, explaining the roles of beneficiaries, executors, lawyers, Amanah Raya, courts, and land offices. Particular focus will be placed on the liquidation and transfer of assets such as property, EPF, insurance, business interests, and digital assets - translated into a clear process flow that resonates with an engineering mindset.
Attention will also be given to pre-distribution obligations, including burial costs, outstanding debts, zakat, harta sepencarian, wasiat execution, and hibah enforcement, before the application of faraid or civil distribution. This segment aims to correct common misconceptions about “automatic” inheritance and highlight the legal sequence that must be followed.
Finally, the session will focus on preventive actions individuals can take today to ensure a smooth inheritance journey for their beneficiaries. This includes evaluating whether a will, wasiat, or hibah is necessary, understanding when each instrument is appropriate, and recognizing that inheritance planning is not only for the wealthy but a form of risk management—much like engineering design for failure prevention.
By the end of the talk , participants will gain:
• A clear comparative understanding of Muslim and non-Muslim inheritance laws in Malaysia
• A practical roadmap of estate administration processes
• Awareness of common pitfalls and delays
• Actionable steps to plan early and reduce future complications
This session is designed to be informative, neutral, and practical, empowering engineers to make informed decisions and initiate responsible inheritance planning for themselves and their families.
BIODATA OF SPEAKERS
Ms Cassandra Lee read Law at Cardiff University, United Kingdom and is a Barrister-at-Law (Middle Temple). She is an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya and founded her law firm, Cassandra Lee Chambers in 2021. Her practice focuses primarily on acting for private individuals on legal matters such as wills, trusts, probate and estate planning.
Professor Datin Zahurin Mohamed obtained her BSc and PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Dundee (UK). As Professor of Pharmacology, she held the position as Head of Department of UM's Department of Pharmacology for 18 years. Professor Zahurin has been a member of at least seven committees at national level including the National Committee for Clinical Research and her expertise extends as a consultant for research in Bioequivalence (BE) Studies. Upon retirement, Professor is the business owner of Shaliscare Nursing (KL) Sdn Bhd providing nursing services to private homes and hospitals. She also provides services on Islamic Estate Planning and is passionate about bringing awareness on the need for it in women.
NOTE
• Free registration for IEM members.
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