240 bribe givers charged under Act 694 since 2019 - Ramkarpal

KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 240 bribe givers have been charged under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Act 694) since 2019, the Senate was told today.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh said of the number, 29 and 211 bribe offerors have been charged under Sections 16 (b) and 17 (b) of the Act, respectively.

"Out of the total charges or convictions, 86 persons who offered bribes were found guilty under the provisions of the two sections," he said when winding up the debate the motion of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid-Term Review (MTR) here today.

He said due to the frequency of the cases recorded, only one party between the giver and the receiver of the bribe was punished because no third party turned up to provide evidence and testimony on the guilt of the party involved.

"If there is a third party or a person who can provide sufficient evidence and testimony, then legally both the giver or the receiver and the middlemen can be prosecuted in court," he said.

Meanwhile, Ramkarpal said the government was looking into the need to set up a Law Commission or Law Reform Commission to ensure the effectiveness of the law review and reform process.

He said with the establishment of the commission at a later stage, efforts to review and revise existing and outdated laws can be implemented as soon as possible, in line with the government's efforts to ensure that national legislation remains relevant.

Moreover, Ramkarpal said his department was aware of the proposal that the government should enact an anti-discrimination law, but insisted that it must first be examined in detail, taking into account the sensitivity and current needs of the multi-ethnic society in the country.

"Regarding the proposal to create a law against hate speech, the government is of the view that there are several existing laws that deal with hate speech, such as Act 574 of the Penal Code, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and the Sedition Act 1948," he said. - BERNAMA