KUALA LUMPUR: The anti-stalking bill was passed in the Dewan Rakyat today through a voice vote after its third reading.
The bill is to amend the Penal Code to make stalking a punishable offence by imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both.
Deputy Minister in Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin when tabling the bill, said the proposed amendment was to protect victims from harassment in an offline or online environment.
"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 the House.
The anti-stalking bill was tabled for its first reading on Aug 4.
When citing a study by Women's Aid Organisation titled "Understanding Malaysians' Experiences Of Stalking", Mas Ermieyati revealed that 36 per cent of Malaysians have been stalked and felt fear.
At the same time, 12 per cent of the people have received threats while 17 per cent have sustained injuries.
"The research also found that stalking and harassment have negative effects on the victim's life in terms of economic, social, recreational, and childcare matters."
The bill stated that whoever commits the offence of stalking shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with a fine or both.
"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 of the person's safety, commits an offence of stalking," the proposed new section read.
The Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) (No 2) 2022 Bill, was also tabled in August.
The proposal to make stalking a crime was mooted in 2019 with the establishment of the Anti-Stalking Committee.