The foundation of good research is built on sound ethical principles, which require a good rationale, a solid methodology and proper consideration of the important ethical issues that may arise from the research. The main task of research ethics committees is to ensure the above principles, so all research involving human subjects will have adequate protection of their dignity, rights and safety. Asha Thanabalan, Hans Van Rostenberghe et al. at Clinical Research Malaysia aim to lay out the current challenges faced by various research ethics committees in the region, detailing the current Malaysian ethical and review landscape and present NERCIM as a proposed way forward to address these issues.