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Memorandum on Section 51 of the Law Reform Act
Safeguard Rights of Wives and Children Upon Conversion of Husbands to Islam, 5 January 2007
Response to the Report by the Parliamentary Special Select Committee
JAG's Press Statement/Frequently Asked Questions on the Report by the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on the Penal Code (Amendment) 2004 and the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) 2004 (pdf)
Memoranda to the Special Select Committee
Memorandum to the Special Select Committee on Penal Code (Amendment) 2004 and Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) 2004 (pdf)
Memorandum to the Special Select Committee on the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code 2005 (pdf)
Memorandum on Equality for Malaysian Women
Over the last 20 years, the JAG coalition has held numerous press conferences, dialogues, seminars, meetings, and presentations have been carried out with relevant government ministries, including the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (MWFCD). Significant was a meeting with the Prime Minister, YAB Dato Seri Abdullah Badawi in May 2004 where the then JAG-VAW presented a comprehensive Memorandum on Equality for Malaysian Women, listing out key reforms sought on policies and laws that discriminate against women. The following is a list of the recommendations submitted to the Prime Minister as well as the advocacy work carried out by JAG-VAW on legal reforms:
| Concerns |
Recommendations |
| 1. Reform Laws and Policies that Discriminate Against Women |
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Cabinet Committee on Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination and the High Level Taskforce.
JAG-VAW recognises that the Cabinet Committee has been formed but we are not aware of its priorities and plans for the prevention of discrimination against women. |
- Publicly make known the priorities of the Cabinet Committee in its efforts to prevent discrimination against women.
- Introduce 30% participation of women at all decision levels, not just at Parliament.
- Establish gender focal points in all Ministries.
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Report from Select Committee on the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code at Parliament
Presently, the Select Committee on the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) is in the process of completing its fact-finding mission. |
- Review all Acts, such as the CPC, Penal Code and the Evidence Act, as these legislations are inter-related and have to be amended concurrently.
- Broaden the definition of rape to reflect the violent nature of the crime, such as insertion of objects; aggravated rapes and marital rape.
- Include in the law non-punitive methods of addressing issues of rape and violence against women such as a Compensation/ Assistance Board.
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| JAG-VAW has submitted a comprehensive Memorandum on Equality for Malaysian Women, identifying all policies and laws that need to be reviewed and/or amended. They include the following: |
| The Islamic Family Law |
- Review of the Islamic Family Law to standardise the IFL at all state levels and to review aspects of the IFL that discriminate against women.
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Review of the Domestic Violence Act.
The MWFCD had promised that it would give a response within three months on the status of the review of the DV Act in May 2004. Till now, no action has been taken. |
- Immediately adopt the recommendations proposed in an MWFD report entitled “Laporan Jawatankuasa Kecil Pelaksanaan Dasar Dan Undang-Undang di bawah Jawatankuasa Pemandu Kebangsaan mengenai Keganasan Terhadap Wanitaâ€.
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Enactment of the Sexual Harassment Act.
This is still pending. |
- Enact a Sexual Harassment Act with immediate effect.
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Amend Other Discriminatory Laws.
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- Review other laws that discriminate against women, including the Federal Constitution, and the Immigration Act to guarantee equality to both foreign men and women.
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| 2. Full and effective implementation of both the CEDAW Convention and BPFA. |
| Convention on the Eli mination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action. |
- Immediately remove all reservations made to CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action.
- Ensure mechanisms are in place for the implementation of the CEDAW and BPFA.
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