THE Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2017 was passed today, offering protection to legally married couples and those who have performed their marriage ceremony, but not for unmarried couples.

“Protection under the Act only applies to de facto husband and wife, those who have gone through marriage ceremonies. This Act does not apply to couples who don’t have marriage ties even though they have intimate relations,” said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim.

“Although (unmarried) couples are not protected under this Act, a victim can still lodge a report on the perpetrator’s violence and the perpetrator can be punished under the Penal Code, such as Section 323 or Section 324,” she said in her winding-up speech on the proposed amendments to the Act in Parliament today.

She said the “household” definition couldn’t be extended too wide because it would defeat the purpose of the Act.

“There are many who mentioned about boyfriend and girlfriend, but I don’t think we are able to include it in this amendment,” she said, adding that its focus was on recognising married couples.

“We will see if there is a need in future,” she said.

One of the provisions improved under the amendment was procedures in granting Emergency Protection Orders (EPO), which allow social welfare officers to grant victims of domestic violence immediate protection, without the need to make a police report or receive a court order.

The EPO would then be effective for a week, during which time victims could go to court to get a Protection Order or Interim Protection Order

Rohani said stalking as a crime should be included in the Penal Code first before the debate could begin on including it in the amendment. – July 25, 2017.