Foong Cheng Leong

LegalHack Series: How to download files from the Malaysian Court Online File Search System

[Note: This guide is not longer applicable as the Court has migrated to Phase 2]

One of the weaknesses of our Court’s efiling system is the online file search system. A user has to pay RM12 (for High Court and above) or RM6 (for Subordinate Courts) to be able to do an online file search for a maximum period of 30 minutes. The time runs upon opening a file on the website (at main page, under Public Services menu).

However, one cannot download a file from the website but one can only view it. The viewing function allows one to view one page at a time and also print one page at a time. Each page takes some time to load and 30 minutes is not sufficient.

This is baffling. Why can’t they put a function to allow users to download the entire file? This is what you get when you roll out a system without proper consultation with the end users.

In any event, to overcome this problem, I found a solution. Here are the steps:-

1. Download the free software PDF24 and install it on your PC.
2. Open the file you intend to download on the Online File Search System (login to the system first).

3. Choose PDF24 as the printer.

4. Every page will be printed as a separate file on PDF24. To merge them, click on the Merge button on top. All the pages will be merged into one file!

5. Save the file.
6. Repeat step 2 to 5 above for other files.

* Tip – Close the file on the search system to stop the timer.

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Comments

15 responses to “LegalHack Series: How to download files from the Malaysian Court Online File Search System”

  1. Lawrence Teh Avatar
    Lawrence Teh

    Thank you very much for the information Mr Foong Cheng Leong.

    I have benefited from your earlier link for case law searches of unreported legal cases.

    Keep up the good work of sharing.

    Much appreciated

    Reply
    1. FCL Avatar
      FCL

      Lawrence: Most welcome!

      Reply
  2. Julie Lim Avatar
    Julie Lim

    Mr. Fong, we are indeed impressed by your genius and wish to thank you for your efforts in helping many of us brethren to overcome such difficulty. Thank you. Although I have not yet tried using the link, but I am sure that it will benefit us greatly.

    Reply
    1. FCL Avatar
      FCL

      Julie: Most welcome!

      Reply
  3. Lee Seong Yan Avatar
    Lee Seong Yan

    Well done. I was in the Bar Council back in the late 1980s. At a certain time I was a member of the Computerisation Committee but left when I found that the committee was not serious about the computers. You have contributed a lot.

    By the way, maybe you can address and inform the members that we should not be addressing each other as “Mr.” or “Dato” etc. We are all brothers at law and should be addressing each other by surname if we are not too familiar, and by name if we know each other well. I notice they still call you Mr. Foong. I thought the Ethics course would have taught the Chambering students this.

    Reply
    1. FCL Avatar
      FCL

      SY: Many thanks! Regarding the point on addressing brothers at law, I don’t remember it being mentioned during ethnics course (but it was more than 11 years ago hence my memory may fail me). However, I have raised this to the Pupils Committee Chairman and asked him to consider adding this point during the Kuala Lumpur Bar Introduction session held for new chambering students.

      Reply
  4. Tan Avatar
    Tan

    Mr Fong, thx for sharing.

    Reply
    1. FCL Avatar
      FCL

      Tan: Most welcome!

      Reply
  5. p.k.shim Avatar
    p.k.shim

    Dear Mr Foong,

    The efiling system has its own (recommended) (which can do the same things)PDF creator, as such I do not recommend that you install PDF 24. Under the main page of https://efiling.kehakiman.gov.my/eFiling/# on the right side # 4 guide and user manual you would be able to download the PDF creator. Having 2 PDF creator is not advisable. This guide has been available since the introduction of eFiling.

    Reply
    1. FCL Avatar
      FCL

      p.k.shim: I’ve used PDF Creator but I can’t seem to find the functions that allow me to merge files in real time (while other pages are printing) and also re-arrange the page by just dragging and dropping the pages. PDF24 has that function.

      Btw, what is the rational of not having 2 or more PDF creator? In fact, I have 3 PDF creators and they all work differently. I also use another paid PDF software called NitroPDF which has similar functions with PDF Architect 4. However, I use it mainly to OCR my PDF files and to reduce their sizes.

      Reply
      1. p.k.shim Avatar
        p.k.shim

        Fcl: yes you could install as many PDF creators in your computer as you like (if you are not using Microsoft windows) I personally would advise against it, if using Microsoft windows. Microsoft windows is flawed as it would not be able handle multiple (same application example: – antivirus). When installed and if there is an update within the programs complications will & may arise. Windows is made in such a way most/all (system/program resources are shared) if the application (PDF creator) were to use the same files than it may crash. That’s why i have dedicated computers just for efiling with minimal applications.
        Do email me if you have any questions on this matter.

        Reply
  6. esther Avatar
    esther

    Hi Mr. Foong, thanks for sharing. This trick going to be very useful when it comes to lots of documents with hundred of pages. However, i still dont understand how could i stop the timer. do you meant i can close the page with the timer running? but, if i do that, the printing process will stop. 🙁

    Reply
    1. FCL Avatar
      FCL

      esther: Hi Esther, so long the page is loaded, the timer will still run. There’s no way to stop it (as far as I know!)

      Reply
      1. esther Avatar
        esther

        then about this tip you gave:
        * Tip – Close the file on the search system to stop the timer.

        which tab are you referring to?

        Reply
  7. How to download files from the Malaysian Court Online File Search System « eLawyer Law Blog Forum

    […] This article is used with the permission of the author, Mr. Foong Cheng Leong. […]

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