Malaysia legislation

Section 50

of *DANGEROUS DRUGS (FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY) ACT 1988

Section 50

(a)

on the ground that the property is liable to forfeiture under the law of the foreign country;

or

(b)

on the ground that the property or article is required by the foreign government or foreign authority for the purpose of any drug-related matter either as evidence or otherwise howsoever.

(2)

Where any movable property, or article is seized under subsection (1), the Malaysian authority may transmit the same to the foreign government or the foreign authority on an undertaking by the foreign government to the Malaysian

Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) 73

Government that the same shall be returned to the Malaysian authority upon the final conclusion of all proceedings in the foreign country in the drug-related matter, unless the

Malaysian Government then notifies the foreign government that it does not require its return.

(3)

Where any movable property, or article seized under paragraph (1)(b) is not transmitted to the foreign government or the foreign authority under subsection (2), or where it is returned to the Malaysian Government upon the final conclusion of all proceedings in the foreign country in the drug-related matter, the Malaysian authority shall return it to the person from whom it was seized unless it is required for the purpose of any prosecution or proceedings under this Act or under any other written law.

(4)

Subsections 25(2) and (3), sections 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

and 31 shall, subject to the respective modifications set out in the third column of the Second Schedule, apply to a seizure of any property under subsection (1).

(5)

Upon the final conclusion of all proceedings in the foreign country in respect of the drug-related matter in relation to which any property was seized under paragraph

(1)

(a)

, the property shall, subject to subsections (6) and (7), be dealt with in accordance with the order of the authority or court in the foreign country which is empowered under the law of that country to make such order.

(6)

Where the order of the authority or court in the foreign country requires the property to be returned to any person in Malaysia, the property shall upon its return to the

Malaysian authority be returned to such person unless the

Malaysian authority requires such property for the purpose of any prosecution or proceedings under this Act or under any other written law.

(7)

Where the order of the foreign authority or the foreign court is a final order for the forfeiture of such property, it shall be deemed to be an order for the forfeiture

74

Laws of Malaysia ACT 340

of the same to the Malaysian Government made by a High

Court in Malaysia and shall be registered by a Registrar of a

High Court in Malaysia, and shall, accordingly, be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of this Act applicable to an order for forfeiture by a High Court made under Part III.

(8)

For the purposes of subsection (7), ―final order‖ means an order which is not subject to any appeal in the foreign country; and for the purposes of this definition, ―appeal‖

includes any proceeding in whatever form and howsoever styled in relation to the decision given at the level of original jurisdiction or a lower level of appellate jurisdiction and any proceeding in relation to a pardon or exercise of leniency by an executive authority in that foreign country.

(9)

No person shall be entitled to claim any compensation from the Malaysian Government or the foreign government or from any person or authority acting on behalf of the Malaysian

Government or the foreign government, or under the authority of Malaysian law or the law of the foreign country, in respect of any seizure or disposal or release of such property under

Malaysian law or the law of the foreign country.

(10)

The reference in subsection (1) to a senior police officer shall, in relation to the seizure of any property which is a business, be construed as a reference to a designated police officer.

Interception of communication

Section 50 — DANGEROUS DRUGS (FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY) ACT 1988