Non-criminalisation of cyberstalking and its impact on justice for victims: some evidence from Malaysia

Saslina Kamaruddin

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Type :	article
Subject :	K Law
ISSN :	2222-6990
Main Author :	Saslina Kamaruddin
Additional Authors :	Wan Rosalili Wan Rosli Zaiton Hamin Ahmad Ridhwan Abd Rani Rafizah Abu Hassan
Title :	Non-criminalisation of cyberstalking and its impact on justice for victims: some evidence from Malaysia

Place of Production :	Tanjong Malim
Publisher :	Fakulti Pengurusan dan Ekonomi
Year of Publication :	2021
Corporate Name :	Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
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Abstract : Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris

In the digital era, some real-world crimes have now transcended into cyberspace. Cybercrime such as cyberstalking is one of them and is considered as an emerging threat in Malaysia. Its prevalence in the reported statistics is merely a tip of an iceberg as many cases may not be reported. Cyberstalking may lead to a chain of psychological trauma and more severe crimes such as identity theft, rape, and even murder. However, despite its serious ramifications, the absence of any specific law to curb such criminality is regrettable and glaring in the Malaysian legal landscape. Hence, this paper aims at examining the technological and social factors contributing to such illegality, the rationales for the non-criminalisation and its implication for the victim's sense of justice. This paper adopts a qualitative methodology, of which the primary data is generated from semi-structured interviews with relevant respondents. The data triangulation is obtained from experts at two relevant ministries. The secondary data are the relevant cyber law, the Penal Code, books, academic journals, online databases and library-based sources. The findings revealed that the catalysts for cyberstalking are varied and that such crime has not been specifically criminalised in the Malaysian cyber laws or traditional legal framework. Such a legal lacuna calls into question not only the adequacy of the current law in dealing with such crime but also the availability of legal protection and non-denial of justice for cyberstalking victims as envisaged by the National Cyber Security Policy 2006 and the Sustainable Development Goals No.16. Keywords: Cyberstalking, Causal Factors, Manufactured Risks, Criminalisation, Individual Responsibility, Victims, Justice

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