Photos Liew Hooi Shan
SINTOK, 6 July 2026: More than 1,100 atendees gathered at Mu’adzam Shah Hall, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), for the annual UUM Mock Trial 2026 entitled “It’s Not Your Fault”, a student-led courtroom production that combined legal education with mental health advocacy.
Organised by the UUM Law Students’ Society (LAWSOC), the flagship programme brought together members of the university management, legal practitioners, academics, students and representatives from industry partners for an immersive courtroom experience inspired by real-life legal and psychological issues.
The event was graced by the Dean of the School of Law, UUM, Prof. Dr. Harlida Abdul Wahab, whose presence reflected the School’s strong support for experiential legal education.
In her remarks, Prof. Dr. Harlida commended the students for successfully translating legal knowledge into a meaningful public engagement initiative that addressed one of society’s most misunderstood issues, namely mental health.
She said the mock trial reflected the School of Law’s commitment to producing graduates who possess not only strong legal knowledge and advocacy skills but also empathy, ethical values and social responsibility.
“This production demonstrates that legal education extends beyond textbooks and classrooms. It equips students with practical advocacy skills while encouraging them to engage with real societal issues. By addressing mental health through the lens of the law, our students have shown that future lawyers can also be advocates for compassion and justice,” she said.
Inspired by actual Malaysian court cases and lived experiences, It’s Not Your Fault centred on schizophrenia and challenged common misconceptions surrounding mental illness. Through the story of Aina, a celebrated painter whose perception of reality gradually unravels, the production explored the complexities of criminal responsibility, justice and psychological disorders.
The courtroom drama featured realistic trial proceedings, witness examination and evidentiary arguments, providing third-year law students with a valuable opportunity to apply courtroom procedures and advocacy techniques before an audience that included practising lawyers and members of the legal fraternity.
Beyond the courtroom performance, the production served as a platform to promote greater public understanding of schizophrenia. It encouraged the audience to replace stigma with empathy and to appreciate the importance of balancing justice with compassion.
The programme achieved several significant milestones, attracting a full-house audience of more than 1,104 attendees, securing RM24,000 in sponsorship and in-kind contributions, and establishing a strategic collaboration with the Persatuan Kaunseling dan Psikologi UUM (PERKAP UUM) to ensure the accurate and responsible portrayal of mental health issues.
The organising committee also acknowledged the invaluable support of its corporate and institutional partners, namely Hiruscar, Leung Kai Fook Medical Company (Axe Brand Universal Oil), BookDoc, Teevent, and Yayasan Perkasa Siswa (YPS). Their sponsorship and commitment were instrumental in bringing the large-scale production to life while reinforcing the shared mission of promoting student development, community engagement and mental health awareness.
As one of LAWSOC’s signature annual programmes, UUM Mock Trial 2026 continues to strengthen experiential legal education while positioning UUM as a platform for meaningful discourse on contemporary legal and social issues through advocacy, innovation and public engagement. – Liew Hooi Shan and Dr. Nur Syaedah Kamis
