The first of its kind, this 580 page commentary on the Myanmar Penal Code describes and critically evaluates the general principles of criminal responsibility contained in the Code with a view to assisting the application of the law. The major offences against the person and property are examined. Leading cases from Myanmar, India, Malaysia and Singapore are considered along with relevant cases from other jurisdictions.

Given the antiquity of the Penal Code, this commentary engages with a law reform exercise for each topic covered. The end product is a “General Part” for inclusion in the Penal Code, comprising precise and comprehensible provisions reflecting contemporary views about criminal responsibility.

Key Features

• Comprehensive analysis of the general principles of criminal responsibility in Myanmar.
• Analysis of the major offences against the person and property in light of the general principles of criminal responsibility.
• Review of all major relevant cases from Myanmar, India, Malaysia and Singapore.
• Placing the law in a historical and theoretical context pointing to its strengths and weaknesses, and suggesting potential reform to bring the law into the 21st Century.

The project involved three field trips to Myanmar and culminated in the publication of a book by the same title by LexisNexis in 2016.