1. LAW 483
MORAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN
LAW
LECTURER :
PUAN ROZITA BINTI OTHMAN
LL.M LL.B (Malaya)
Advocate & Solicitors (High Court of Malaya) (Non-practicing)
FACULTY OF LAW
UiTM, SHAH ALAM
2012

2. Course Description
This course examines ethical and moral theories, moral
ideals and the way in which conventional theories of
moral values and ideals are being challenged in
contemporary society.
The course also explores specific areas in which Codes of
Ethics have been promulgated and applied and
examines thee madalities goerning ethical and moral
conduct in the workplace, in professional bodies, in
media, in the context of cyberspace and medicine.
Students are actively encouraged to explore the influence
and impact of ethics on the law making process in the
lacal and international arena.

3. Course Outcomes
At the end of the course, students should have the:
• Ability to understand the contributions of
ethicist.
• Ability to apply the principles in the social,
cultural, economics and political contexts.
• Ability to critically examine the laws and
regulations that encompasses moral and ethical
principles and theories.

4. COURSE CONTENT:
Topic 1 : Introduction
- Definition of Ethics and Morality
- Moral philosophical theories
Topic 2: Critical Thinking
- Syllogism
- Falllacies in reasoning
*ad hominem
*based on authority
*based on force
*based on pity and ridicule
*based on generalization
*based on a slippery slope

5. Topic 3: Locational / Sectoral Ethics
- Ethics in organization, workplace
- Management Ethics
Topic 4: Professional Ethics
- Legal
- Non-Legal
- Others: corporate governance

6. Topic 5: Modalities of governing morality and
ethical conduct
Medico-Legal Issues
- Abortion
- Euthanasia & Physician – Assisted Suicide
- Assisted conception / Artificial Insemination
- Cloning and Embryo Research
- Human Fertilisation
- Surrogacy
- Organ Donation

7. Cyberethics
- Definition of Cyberethics
- Stages of Cybrethics
- Legal Issues arising from cyberethics
*privacy
*surveillance and monitoring
*cyberinsurance
Issues Involving Sexuality
- Concepts relating to decency and obscenity
- Victim precipitation theory
- Personal autonomy and the right to say ‘no’
- Current legal provisions on rape

8. Homosexuality
- Religion
- The Wolfenden Report (United Kingdom)
- Devlin’s Shared Morality test
- Case Law
*Shaw v DPP
*R v Brown
*Lawrence Gardner v State of Texas
Media
- Censorship and Freedom of Expression
- Canons of Journalism / Code of Practise
- Selective reporting

9. METHODS OF TEACHING:
LECTURE, TUTORIAL AND STUDENT-CENTRED
LEARNING
EVALUATION:
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT : 30%
(quizzes, assignments, case review,
mid term examination will be conducted
by tutor)
FINAL EXAMINATION : 70%
----------
100%

10. REFERENCES :
1. Ruggiero, V.R. Thinking Critically About Ethical Issus,
Fifth Ed, Mayfield Publishing Company
2. Porter, E Feminist Perspective On Ethics, Pearson
ducation Limited
3. Lee, R. G & Morgan, D. Human Frtilisation &
Embryology-Regulating The Reproductive Revolution,
Black Ston Press Limited
4. Mclean, S A.M Contemporary Issues In Law, Medicine
and Ethics, Dartmouth Publising Company Limited
5. Morgan, D. Issues In Mdical Law and Ethics,
Cavendish Publishing Limited
6. Mason and Mc Call, Law and Ethics, London,
Butterworth
7. Lipman, M. Mdical Law & Ethics, Regents Prentice
Hall

11. 8. Norchaya, I., uthanasia – A Malaysian Perspective,
Sweet & Maxwell Asia.
9. John H. Bioethics. Oxford University Press.
10. Baird M.R. Cybrethics: Social and Moral Issues In th
Computr Age, Amhrst Prometheus Books.
11. Spinello, R.A. Cybrethics: Morality & Law In
Cyberspace, Bartlett Publishers
12. Lai S.Y. Maria Chin Abdullah, J.L. Ong & P.L Wong
in ed. Alina Rastam “The Rape Report: An Overview
of Rape in Malaysia”, AWAM and SIRD, 2002
13. Jg Riddall, Jurisprudence, Butterworth, 1999.
14. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, “The Dignity of Man:
An Islamic Perspective”, Ilmiah Publishers, Petaling
Jaya.

12. 15. Michael F. Wagner, “A Historical Introduction to
Moral Philosophy”, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1991.
16. Louis p. Pojman, “Ethical Theory: Classical and
Contmporary Radings”, Wadsworth Publishing
Company, USA, Third ditionj, 1998.
17. Francis J. Beckwith, “Do The Right Thing: Radings in
Applied thics and Social Philosophy”, Wardsworth
Thompson Learning, USA, Second dition, 2002
18. Richard M. Fox, Joswph P. D Marco, “Moral
Reasoning: A Philosophic Approach to Applied thics”,
Harcourt College Publishrs, USA, Second Edition,
2001.

13. Statutes
1. Medical Act 1971
2. Human Tissued Act 1974
3. Sedition Act 1948
4. Penal Code
5. Official Screts Act 1972
6. Lgal Profssion Act 1976

14. 1. Please come to class on time i.e. Be punctual
2. Please wear proper attire. No jeans, hanging t-
shirt, slippers & round collar shirt.
3. Attendance for lectures and tutorials are
compulsory.
4. It is sincerely hoped that students will inform the
lecturer of his/her absence from the class.
5. Handphone/Any electrical devices must be
switched off or switched to silent mode during
lecture and tutorial hours

15. OFFICE: CEMPAKA 2, ROOM 313
TEL : 03-55211084 (O)
013-3337973 (h/p)
* preferably sms