Irmohizam: Amendments to Domestic Violence Act 1994 needed to reduce 'red tape'

The amendments to the Domestic Violence Act 1994 are needed to reduce the bureaucracy between the departments and the enforcement agencies involved.

Kuala Selangor Member of Parliament, Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim said this was to ensure that victims of domestic violence are not "kicked all over the place" when applying for assistance from the authorities.

"The Welfare Department and the Royal Malaysian Police have to send their officers for courses to make them understand what exactly are the Emergency Protection Order (EPO), the Interim Protection Order (IPO) or the Protection Order (PO).

"This is necessary so that the victims are not victimised when applying for the orders," he said during debate on the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2017 which was tabled for second reading by the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim in Dewan Rakyat today.

The bill, among others, provides for welfare officers to be empowered to issue Ex-Parte Order ( EPO ) to victims of domestic violence if cases occur outside office hours such as over weekends.

Irmohizam said the victims could only apply for IPO or PO from the courts which only operate during office hours while many reports of domestic violence are made over weekends.

"Hence, this amendment to the EPO is much welcome to enable the victims to get immediate protection to prevent the perpetrators from inflicting injury," he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (AMANAH-Kota Raja) suggested that domestic violence offenders be subjected to public caning to serve as a lesson.

She said husbands who assault their wives need to be open minded so that they are aware of the responsibility of caring for women as entrusted by Allah.

The suggestion received the support of Idris Ahmad (PAS-Bukit Gantang) who believed that public caning would make the husbands think twice before hurting their spouses.

Earlier, Rohani said the amendments were aimed at increasing the protection of the victims by providing for the EPO in addition to the existing IPO and the PO.

The insertion of 13 new sections allow the applications for protection orders be made by the victims, the victim's lawyer, the welfare officer, or by a police officer. The debate continues tomorrow.

--BERNAMA