Dewan Rakyat Has Unanimously Passed The Anti-Stalking Bill
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, from Bersatu, said the proposed amendment will protect victims from harassment, offline or online.
Earlier today, 2 October, the Dewan Rakyat passed bills to make stalking a crime through a unanimous voice vote after its third reading
The amendments include the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2022, which creates the offence of stalking by making it a punishable offence by imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both; and the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022, which creates a protection order for stalking survivors.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, from Bersatu, said the proposed amendment will protect victims from harassment, offline or online.
"The criminalisation of stalking will not only assist authorities in curbing the issue but also save lives. The amendment will serve as a form of prevention before stalking can occur and reduce the risk of aggressive reactions aside from protecting the victims," she told Dewan Rakyat while tabling the bills.
The amendment introduces sub-section 507A under Section 507 of the Penal Code, whereby a suspected stalker can't be arrested
The new Section 507A of the Penal Code states, "Whoever repeatedly by any act of harassment, intending to cause, or knowing or ought to know that the act is likely to cause, distress, fear, or alarm to any person or the person's safety, would be considered to have committed the offence of stalking".
The act of harassment may include:
- following a person in any manner or by any means,
- communication or attempting to communicate with a person in any manner or by any means,
- loitering at the place of residence or business of a person and giving,
- or sending anything to a person in any manner or by any means.
If you or someone you know may be at risk or has experienced sexual abuse or assault, please reach out to these Malaysian organisations:
1. WOMEN'S AID ORGANISATION (WAO)
Operating hours: 24-hour
Contact: +603-30008858
SMS/WhatsApp: +6018-9888058
Website | Facebook | Twitter
2. ALL WOMEN'S ACTION SOCIETY (AWAM)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9.30am - 5.30pm)
Contact: +603-78770224
WhatsApp/Telegram: +6016-2284221 | +6016-2374221
Email: telenita@awam.org.my
Website | Facebook | Twitter
3. WOMEN'S CENTRE FOR CHANGE PENANG (WCC PENANG)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm)
Contact: +604-2280342 | +604-3988340
WhatsApp: +6011-31084001 | +6016-4180342
Email: wcc@wccpenang.org
Website | Facebook | Twitter
4. SARAWAK WOMEN FOR WOMEN SOCIETY (SWWS)
Operating hours: Monday (7pm - 9pm),Tuesday to Thursday (9.30am - 11.30am), Saturday (2pm - 4pm)
Contact: +6082-368853
SMS/WhatsApp: +6016-5822660 | +6013-8044285
Email: sarswws@gmail.com
Website | Facebook | Twitter
5. SABAH WOMEN'S ACTION-RESOURCE GROUP (SAWO)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm)
Contact: +6088-280200 | +6011-27908020
Email: sawo.women@yahoo.com
Website | Facebook | Twitter
6. PROTECT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN (PS THE CHILDREN)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (3pm - 12am)
WhatsApp: +6016-7213065
Email: protect@psthechildren.org.my
Website | Facebook | Twitter
7. INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION (IWF)
Anonymously and confidentially report child sexual abuse content and non-photographic child sexual abuse images with IWF's Reporting Portal.
Earlier, the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) had welcomed the tabling of law amendments to make stalking a crime in the Dewan Rakyat:
Prior to this, studies by WAO had exposed disturbing insights about how 46% of women did not consider stalking a form of sexual harassment, despite 88% of Malaysians having experienced acts related to stalking:
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