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Government Laws

Women and Girls Protection Act, Act 106 (1973) - Part 1 - Preliminary

(Taken verbatim from http://www.protectionproject.org/)

An Act to amend and consolidate the law relating to the protection of women and girls and to provide for matters incidental thereto.
[West Malaysia - 1.9.1973; Sabah - 1.7.1981; Sarawak - 1.3.1981]

BE IT ENACTED by the Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the advice and consent of the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

PART I-PRELIMINARY

1. Short title, application and commencement.
(1) This Act may be cited as the Women and Girls Protection Act, 1973 and shall apply to the whole of Malaysia.
(2) This Act shall come into force on such date as the Minister May be notification of the Gazette appoint and different dates for the coming into force of this Act may be appointed for different States in Malaysia and for different provisions of this Act.

2. Interpretation.
In this Act unless the context otherwise requires:
"Board of Visitors" means the Board of Visitors appointed by the Minister in accordance with section 5 for one or more places of refuge; "brother" means any place occupied or used by any two or more female persons whether at the same time or at different times for the purpose of prostitution; "club" means any place which is used by an association of two or more persons for any purpose or objects; "contribution order" means a contribution order made under section 27; "Court of a Magistrate" means Court of a Magistrate of the First Class; "Director General" means the Director General of Social Welfare; "occupier" used with reference to a place means the tenant, sub-tenant, lessee, sublessee, of such a place or any person in charge of such a place whether or not he is in actual occupation and whether he has or has not the power to let or sublet; "owner" used with reference to a place means the person who for the time being has power or authority to let, hire, sell, lease or convey the place to another person or who receives the rent of the place whether on his own account or as an agent or trustee for any other person; "place" means any building, house, office, flat, room or cubicle or part thereof and any open or enclosed space and includes a flying machine, a ship, a boat or any vessel whether afloat or not and any vehicle; "place of assignation" means any place where communication is established with any female person either directly or through an intermediary for purpose of prostitution; "place of public resort" means any place to which the public for the time being have access; "place of refuge" means any place of refuge established or appointed under the provisions of section 4 of this Act; "prostitution l" means the act of a female offering her body for promiscuous sexual intercourse for hire whether in money or in kind; and "prostitute" shall be construed accordingly; "Protector" means the Director General of Social Welfare, the Deputy Director General of Social Welfare, any Director of Social Welfare of West Malaysia and such Social Welfare Officers appointed by the Minister under section 3 and includes -

(a) in respect of the State of Sarawak, the Principal elfare Officer, Sarawak;
(b) in respect of the State of Sabah*, references to the "the State of Sabah" or "Sabah" shall be construed as including references to "the Federal Territory of Labuan", the Director of Welfare Services, Sabah; and
(c) in respect of each of the States in West Malaysia, the State Director of Social Welfare of such State.