Abstract:

Volunteering is a noble action for a good cause, yet it does not mean that the volunteers should bear the risks and be unprotected by the law. In view of the importance of volunteers and volunteering activities, it is indispensable that adequate legal protection is ensured for the volunteers. This will help in managing and sustaining volunteers thus preventing their attrition. This paper highlights the importance of volunteerism to a nation and the need for establishing a legal framework for volunteers. It also analyzes the existing volunteer related laws in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom with a comparison made to the Malaysian scenario. It is found that there is a need for the enhancement of existing law for volunteers in Malaysia as currently it is inadequate.