PETALING JAYA: Experts are urging the enactment of specific laws to address “femicide”, defined as the killing of women and girls due to their gender, arguing that Malaysia’s current criminal justice system lacks provisions to tackle it effectively.
On Aug 17, 10-year-old Nuraina Humaira Rosli was found dead in a swamp near Kampung Orang Asli Bersah in Pos Kuala Mu in Sungai Siput, Perak.
On July 17, the body of Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, 25, was discovered in an oil palm plantation in Kampung Sri Kledang, Hulu Selangor.
Both cases are being investigated as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
Universiti Malaya criminologist and deputy dean of postgraduate studies Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid said while not all murders of women fall under femicide, the crime is not currently recognised by
police since Malaysia has no legal provisions to charge individuals specifically for it.
Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) acting executive director Nazreen Nizam highlighted that while Malaysia lacks official data on femicide, WAO media monitoring from January to August recorded 17 cases of women or girls being killed.
“Of these, 60% involved intimate partners, with 46.7% of them being married and 13.3% unmarried. Family members were the perpetrators in 20% of such cases, while friends and colleagues were involved in another 20%. This highlights the domestic nature of these crimes.
“Young women and girls are especially vulnerable due to societal norms that assign them lower status and power within families. Cultural beliefs reinforcing male dominance over women further increase the risks they face.”
Nazreen noted that while Malaysia has laws addressing domestic violence and sexual assault, femicide is not recognised as a distinct crime driven by gender based motives.
Consequently, such cases are prosecuted under general homicide laws, failing to address the unique gendered patterns behind some of the killings.
She added that the lack of gender sensitive training for law enforcement officials often leads to elements of femicide being overlooked.
“It is important to amend the Penal Code to explicitly define and criminalise femicide, provide specialised training for officials and strengthen victim support services.
“Both law enforcement officers and the public lack awareness of what constitutes femicide. Education and training on the nuances of femicide and gender based violence are crucial to ensure proper enforcement and legal recognition.”
Nazreen also stressed the importance of support services for survivors of gender based violence, such as safe shelters, counselling, legal aid and 24/7 hotlines, which
are currently provided by the government and NGOs.
These services help women escape violence, recover from trauma and navigate legal systems.
She called for increased funding for NGOs such as WAO, the All Women’s Action Society, Women’s Centre for Change and Sisters in Islam to sustain and expand such services.
Meanwhile, Haezreena said femicide often occurs when killings are rooted in the perception that a woman has failed to conform to societal gender expectations.
Women who do not adhere to traditional gender norms or whose actions are deemed “immoral” may face extreme consequences.
“In some cultures, women are closely associated with a family’s honour and actions perceived as dishonourable, such as engaging in inappropriate relationships, can lead to their deaths in what is known as ‘honour killings’.
“Women enduring domestic violence or other forms of gender based violence are at heightened risk, particularly if they do not meet societal expectations of the ‘ideal wife’ or partner.
“Marginalised groups, such as female sex workers, are also frequent targets due to societal stigma and shame.
“This is why femicide provisions must be introduced in the Penal Code, so the police can consider it as an element in their investigations,” she said.
