Criminal offence if wife injured during sex - Nancy

A man commits a criminal offence if he injures his wife while performing sexual acts, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Nancy Shukri.

She explained that the law in Malaysia provided protection to wives under Section 375A of the Penal Code.

In a statement Thursday, she said the section provided for a man who during the subsistence of a valid marriage, caused hurt or fear of death, or hurt to his wife in order to have sexual intercourse, could be jailed for up to five years, upon conviction.

Nancy was clarifying her written response on Tuesday to Ramkarpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) who asked whether the government intended to amend the Penal Code to recognise 'marital rape'.

She said some unclear reports by online news portals regarding her statement had caused confusion, as if the laws in Malaysia did not protect a woman who was sexually abused by her husband.

The news portal had taken a quote from Nancy's statement, alleging sexual intercourse by a man against his wife in a valid marriage could not be considered rape, and the government did not plan to amend the Penal Code.