KUALA LUMPUR: The Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill 2024, aimed at strengthening laws against online scams relating to mule accounts, was passed in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Alice Lau, presiding over the session, announced that the bill received majority support, after 12 members of Parliament, from both sides took part in the debate.
The bill, tabled for the second reading yesterday by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran, includes a provision granting police the authority to seize funds from bank accounts suspected to be involved in criminal activities and related matters.
A newly proposed section, 116D, aims to authorise a police officer of at least Sergeant rank to seize or prevent transactions involving funds held or suspected to be held in any payment instrument or account at financial institutions.
This action can be taken if the officer reasonably suspects that a crime has been committed, if the funds have been or are intended to be used for criminal purposes, or if the funds serve as evidence of a crime.