KUCHING, Nov 3: The federal government is committed to criminalise stalking in Malaysia as the policy paper together with the proposed amendments to the law is expected to be brought to the Cabinet next month.
Deputy Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said that it will then be tabled in Parliament once the Cabinet approves the amendments.
Following a meeting held in Parliament yesterday to discuss this matter, she pointed out that efforts to make stalking a crime in Malaysia began in 2019 where an Anti-Stalking Committee was established.
“Since early 2020, the draft amendments to the law (amendments to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code) have been prepared by the committee, led by the Legal Affairs Division with the involvement of other government agencies and NGO (non-governmental organisation),” she said in a statement today.
In the meeting yesterday, she added, three survivors have shared their experiences as stalking victims who are still not given protection due to the gaps that existed in the law.
NGO Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) had also submitted a memorandum that had been signed by 52 groups and a petition supported by more than 8,500 people to urge the government to immediately criminalise stalking.
The meeting was attended by various stakeholders including representatives from the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Royal Malaysia Police, the Malaysian Bar Council, WAO and academicians.
While the policy paper is being tabled before the Cabinet, Mas Ermieyati hopes to meet with lawmakers, government agencies and relevant NGOs to provide an overview, raise awareness and create better understanding of the impact of stalking on society. — DayakDaily
