Skip to content
In forceUpdated to 4 Jul 2023
Contents

Act of Parliament

Penal Code

Feedback & supportCriminal offences

Long title

An Act relating to criminal offences.

In force · Updated to 4 Jul 2023

In plain English

Not legal advice

This law deals with criminal offences. Certain parts of this law also apply to some offences committed outside Malaysia. These include offences by a citizen or permanent resident in any place outside Malaysia. They also include offences by any person against a citizen of Malaysia. They also include offences by any person who is in Malaysia after committing the offence. The law treats these offences as if they were committed in Malaysia.

Summary · Drafted with AI, checked against the official text on 30 Sep 2026.

Chapter I

Preliminary

Official textFrom Laws of Malaysia Online, unchanged

s 1Short title

This Act may be cited as the Penal Code.

s 2Punishment of offences committed within Malaysia

Every person shall be liable to punishment under this Code and not otherwise for every act or omission contrary to the provisions thereof, of which he shall be guilty within Malaysia.

s 3Punishment of offences committed beyond, but which by law may be tried within Malaysia

Any person liable by law to be tried for an offence committed beyond the limits of Malaysia, shall be dealt with according to the provisions of this Code for any act committed beyond Malaysia, in the same manner as if such act had been committed within

Malaysia.

(1)

The provisions of Chapters VI, VIa and VIb shall apply to any offence committed—

(a)

by any citizen or any permanent resident on the high seas on board any ship or on any aircraft whether or not such ship or aircraft is registered in Malaysia;

(b)

by any citizen or any permanent resident in any place without and beyond the limits of Malaysia;

(c)

by any person against a citizen of Malaysia;

(d)

by any person against property belonging to, or operated or controlled by, in whole or in part, the Government of

Malaysia or the Government of any State in Malaysia, including diplomatic or consular premises of Malaysia, any citizen of Malaysia, or any corporation created by or under the laws of Malaysia located outside Malaysia;

(e)

by any person to compel the Government of Malaysia or the Government of any State in Malaysia to do or refrain from doing any act;

(f)

by any stateless person who has his habitual residence in Malaysia;

(g)

by any person against or on board a fixed platform while it is located on the continental shelf of Malaysia; or

(h)

by any person who after the commission of the offence is present in Malaysia, as if the offence had been committed in Malaysia.

(2)

In this section—

(a)

“offence” includes every act done outside Malaysia which, if done in Malaysia, would be an offence punishable under this Code;

(b)

“permanent resident” has the meaning assigned by the

Courts of Judicature Act 1964 [Act 91].

Penal Code 33

s 5Certain laws not to be affected by this Code

Nothing in this Code is intended to repeal, vary, suspend or affect any of the provisions of any written law for punishing mutiny and desertion of officers, soldiers and airmen in the

Malaysian Armed Forces, or of any other law for the time being in force.

Chapter II

General Explanations

Chapter III

Punishments

Chapter IV

General Exceptions

Chapter V

Abetment

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Offences Relating to the Armed Forces

Chapter VIII

Offences Against the Public Tranquility

Chapter IX

Offences by, or Relating to, Public Servants

Chapter X

Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants

Chapter XI

False Evidence and Offences Against Public Justice

Chapter XII

Offences Relating to Coin and Government Stamps

Chapter XIII

Offences Relating to Weights and Measures

Chapter XIV

Offences Affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and Morals

Chapter XV

Offences Relating to Religion

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Offences Relating to Documents and to Currency Notes and Bank Notes

Chapter XIX

Criminal Breach of Contracts of Service

Chapter XX

Offences Relating to Marriage

Chapter XXI

Defamation

Chapter XXII

Criminal Intimidation, Insult and Annoyance

Chapter XXIII

Attempts to Commit Offences