KUALA LUMPUR – Stalking could soon be considered an offence, with the government proposing an amendment to the Penal Code to criminalise the act.
Deputy Law Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin today tabled the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2022 for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat, which aims to introduce a new Sub-Section 507A.
According to the proposed provision, any person who repeatedly harasses, intends to cause, or knowing that the act is likely to cause distress, fear or alarm to another person’s safety will be deemed to have committed an offence of stalking.
The bill describes the act of harassment to include following or communicating with a person through any manner or means, loitering at the person’s place of residence or business and giving or sending anything to the person.
Those found guilty shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years, be subjected to a fine or both.
The tabling of the bill today comes just two weeks after the lower House passed the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2021, following over a decade’s worth of work into the legal document, which began in 2011.
A separate bill to propose amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code – which was also tabled for its first reading today – contained the provision that a victim of stalking, or his counsel or guardian, may make an ex parte application to the court for a protection order.
The court, then, may issue the order against a suspect who is being investigated for or has been charged with stalking, prohibiting the person from committing a similar offence.
According to the bill, the protection order shall be effective until the completion of the investigation or disposal of a criminal proceeding.
Both bills will be debated and voted on in the next Parliament sitting, which will convene at the end of October. – The Vibes, August 4, 2022
