KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 – The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2013 tabled in parliament for the first reading Wednesday by Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi proposes heavier punishment for sexual crimes, organised crimes and spousal abuse.
For sexual crimes, the minimum jail term of five years is to be increased to 10 years and the maximum from 20 years to 30 years.
A new Section 375B (Act 574) has been inserted to provide for punishment for gang rape.
Also proposed is an amendment to Section 376B to raise the jail term for incest from not less than six years and not more than 20 years, to not less than 10 years and not more than 30 years.
The amended Section 377CA for rape involving the use of objects will carry a minimum five years to a maximum 30 years’ jail term as against the existing punishment of 20 years.
The amendment to Section 377E, inducing a child to commit gross indecent acts will increase the jail term from a maximum five years to a mandatory term of not less than three years and not more than 15 years.
The bill also inserted new Sections, 130X, 130Y, 130Z, 130ZA, 130ZB and 130ZC in Chapter VIB to introduce additional offences such as harbouring, associating, recruiting or participating in group crimes, as well as receiving bribes to facilitate or encourage organised crime.
For organised crimes, the bill provides a jail term of not less than five years and not more than 20 years and liable to fine.
Clause Three in the bill would include a new Section 75A, which carries a mandatory jail term double that of previous convictions for repeat offenders.
The amendment would also include new Section 326A which provides for punishment for couples in abuse cases while the inclusion of the new Section 352A will provide for punishment for coercion.
The bill will also include a new Section 203A that provides for punishment for exposing confidential information, which carries a fine of not more than RM1 million or jail term of up to one year, or both.
A new section, 121E, relates to abuse of the Malaysian flag.
It reads: Whoever mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, tramples on, desecrates, destroys, insults or questions with the intention of dishonouring any national emblem or flag of a foreign nation shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than 15 years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Whoever uses, recognizes or promotes the use of any flag that purports to represent Malaysia other than the flag specified as the Malaysian flag under the Schedule to the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963, or any state in Malaysia other than the flag provided for under the relevant legislation of each state, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than 15 years, and shall also be liable to fine.
– BERNAMA
