MALAYSIA’S debate on whether to impose caning for convicted scammers has deepened as experts differ on whether such punishment would deter fraud or breach human rights standards.
The discussion follows Singapore’s recent decision to allow up to 24 strokes of the cane for those convicted of scam-related offences, the New Straits Times (NST) reported today.
Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the scale and harm caused by scams warranted tougher penalties.
“Making caning mandatory, as Singapore has done, sends a clear message that this deceit will be met with firm and painful consequences,” he told NST.
He said Malaysia’s existing laws under the Penal Code and Communications and Multimedia Act had been strengthened to address cybercrime, but penalties must reflect the gravity of the threat.
“Many scammers operate as part of transnational organised crime networks. The law must, therefore, not only punish them severely but also deter others from getting involved. Mandatory corporal punishment could be that deterrent,” he said.
Razarudin said Singapore’s move demonstrated its determination to shield citizens from financial predators and that Malaysia should consider similar legal reforms.
“We must show zero tolerance through enforcement and sentencing. It’s about justice for victims who often lose their life savings,” he said.
Senior criminologist Datuk Dr P Sundramoorthy said caning would not address the root causes of criminal behaviour.
“Based on interviews with inmates, I found several cases in which prisoners who were caned reoffended and returned to prison after release.
“While frustration is understandable, resorting to corporal punishment represents a step backwards for justice and human rights in the region,” he said.
He added that international organisations including the United Nations Committee Against Torture and Amnesty International have long condemned caning as “cruel, inhuman and degrading.”
“Malaysia’s Human Rights Commission and the Bar Council have repeatedly urged its abolition, describing the practice as archaic and incompatible with constitutional guarantees of humane treatment,” he said.
Sundramoorthy said research did not support the argument that corporal punishment prevents crime.
He said although caning is imposed for serious offences such as drug trafficking, robbery, rape and immigration breaches, repeat offending remains high.
He added that fear-based punishment may temporarily discourage crime but rarely promotes rehabilitation, often leading instead to resentment and defiance among offenders.
IGP Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said Malaysia recorded about 52,000 commercial crime cases as of September, up 81.6% from a year earlier.
He said online scams made up 80% of the total, with losses estimated at RM2 billion, nearly double the amount reported during the same period last year.
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