PETALING JAYA: A 37-year-old man will be the first ever person to be charged under the new Section 507A of the Penal Code for stalking.
The man had stalked a female photographer, Acacia Diana for nearly eight years.
Over the course of the eight years, Acacia was stalked and harassed, the perpetrator had physically stalked her in Malaysia and England three times.
Throughout the cruel period of stalking and harassment, Acacia had to block over 36 of the man’s Instagram accounts and around four of his Twitter accounts that he not only used to send her messages but also disturb others whom she interacted with, limiting her engagement on social media.
This year, the perpetrator’s harassment escalated to sending her sexually explicit content through messaging platforms on social media.
According to TheStar, Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said the man would be charged under Section 507A of the Penal Code.
Under the new Section 507A of the Penal Code, stalking is defined as a repeated act of harassment, which is intended or is likely to cause distress, fear, or alarm to any person for their safety.
According to the amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, stalkers can be investigated, charged in court and punished with imprisonment of up to three years.
