Protection, accommodation for domestic violence victims

KUALA LUMPUR: Social welfare officers will be given the authority to issue ex-parte orders to victims of domestic abuse if a case occurs outside office hours such as during weekends.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the authority to immediately issue the Emergency Protection Order ( EPO), valid for a week, was included in the Domestic Violence Bill (Amendment) 2017.

“Under the amendments, if the case occurs during weekends, just contact the Welfare Services Department and we will issue the EPO and get the cooperation of police to hand it over,” she told a news conference at Parliament building yesterday.

The bill which was tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today, among others, gives the right to separate accommodation or exclusive residential stay for the victim.

“The perpetrator will be asked to exit the house, and cannot stay in the same residence for a week. There will be a cooling period to give the victim a sense of security,” she said.

Rohani said the amendments were made in view of the rise in the number of domestic violence cases and also aimed at increasing protection for the victims and to help restore the family institution.

“Statistics from the Royal Malaysian Police show that from 2014 to 2016, there were 15,617 reported cases of domestic violence, with 26 per cent male victims,” she said.

Rohani said a violation of the order would cause the perpetrator to be fined RM4,000 or jailed for one year, or both, while for the second violation, the penalty would be a fine of RM5,000 or at least 72 hours’ jail and not exceeding two years, or both.

She said at present, the authority to provide protection for the victims was issued by the court through the Interim Protection Order and the Protection Order.

The amendments to the Act are also aimed at expanding the definition of ‘domestic violence’ to include three other possible scenarios.

These are theft of the victim’s assets, causing grief to the victim, threatening the victim with the intention of creating fear for her own personal safety and that of a third party or property, and bringing shame to the victim including through electronic means.

Also tabled for the first reading was the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2017 which seeks to increase the penalty under Section 326A of Act 574 for those who cause injury to former husbands or wives, children and others.

The Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017 was also tabled today, seeking to protect consumers who purchase items through credit sales transactions and reduce household debt caused by the same.

Among others, it proposes that the assistant controllers be given the authority to take and hold the documents obtained and to order any party to give access to books, records or documents for the purpose of carrying out any of the functions. — Bernama