Malaysia's minister in charge of law has ruled out a return to jury trials, saying ordinary citizens lacked expertise and could make biased decisions based on race, reports said today.

"Because jurors are ordinary people, they are not free from bias and racism. I'm worried that someone may be convicted just because of his skin colour," Nazri Aziz was quoted by the New Straits Times as telling Parliament.

Malaysia's attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail reportedly called at the weekend for a return to jury trials, banned over a decade ago in the multi-racial country, saying Malaysians were more mature and educated.

But Nazri said the present system was "adequate", adding that Malaysians lacked legal training and involving jurors would increase costs.

Only human

"Jury members are also human and could be bribed to sway a decision," Nazri was quoted as saying in the Star daily.

"Inexperienced jurors may be easily swayed into believing lawyers' arguments, unlike a judge with vast experience and knowledge," he said.

Malaysia abolished jury trials 11 years ago, with then-law minister Syed Hamid Albar arguing it would hasten court proceedings, and citing difficulties in finding qualified jurors.

The government also said at the time that ordinary Malaysians were ill-equipped to weigh up evidence and decide on the fate of an accused person, it said.