Act 574 Penal Code (Revised 1997)

Chapter XVI OFFENCES AFFECTING THE HUMAN BODY

Offences Affecting Life

302. Punishment for murder

Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for a term of not less than thirty years but not exceeding forty years and if not sentenced to death, shall also be punished with whipping of not less than twelve strokes.

ABOLITION OF MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY ACT 2023

ACT 846

Section 302 of the Code is amended by inserting after the words "with death" the words "or imprisonment for a term of not less than thirty years but not exceeding forty years and if not sentenced to death, shall also be punished with whipping of not less than twelve strokes".

Except in the cases hereinafter excepted, culpable homicide is murder-

(a) if the act by which the death is caused is done with the intention of causing death;

(b) if it is done with the intention of causing such bodily injury as the offender knows to be likely to cause the death of the person to whom the harm is caused;

(c) if it is done with the intention of causing bodily injury to any person, and the bodily injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death; or

(d) if the person committing the act knows that it is so imminently dangerous that it must in all probability cause death, or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, and commits such act without any excuse for incurring the risk of causing death, or such injury as aforesaid.

ILLUSTRATIONS

(a) A shoots Z with the intention of killing him. Z dies in consequence. A commits murder.

(b) A, knowing that Z is labouring under such a disease that a blow is likely to cause his death, strikes him with the intention of causing bodily injury. Z dies in consequence of the blow. A is guilty of murder, although the blow might not have been sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause the death of a person in a sound state of health. But if A, not knowing that Z is labouring under any disease, gives him such a blow as would not in the ordinary course of nature kill a person in a sound state of health, here A, although he may intend to cause bodily injury, is not guilty of murder, if he did not intend to cause death, or such bodily injury as in the ordinary course of nature would cause death.

(c) A intentionally gives Z a sword-cut or club-wound sufficient to cause the death of a man in the ordinary course of nature. Z dies in consequence. Here A is guilty of murder, although he may not have intended to cause Z's death.

(d) A, without any excuse, fires a loaded cannon into a crowd of persons and kills one of them. A is guilty of murder, although he may not have had a premeditated design to kill any particular individual.

Exception 1 - Culpable homicide is not murder if the offender, whilst deprived of the power of self control by grave and sudden provocation, causes the death of the person who gave the provocation, or causes the death of any other person by mistake or accident.

The above exception is subject to the following provisos:

(a) that the provocation is not sought or voluntarily provoked by the offender as an excuse for killing or doing harm to any person;

(b) that the provocation is not given by anything done in obedience to the law, or by a public servant in the lawful exercise of the powers of such public servant;

(c) that the provocation is not given by anything done in the lawful exercise of the right of private defence.

Explanation - Whether the provocation was grave and sudden enough to prevent the offence from amounting to murder, is a question of fact.

ILLUSTRATIONS

(a) A, under the influence of passion excited by a provocation given by Z, intentionally kills Y, Z's child. This is murder, inasmuch as the provocation was not given by the child, and the death of the child was not caused by accident or misfortune in doing an act caused by the provocation.

(b) Y gives grave and sudden provocation to A. A, on this provocation, fires a pistol at Y, neither intending nor knowing himself to be likely to kill Z, who is near him, but out of sight. A kills Z. Here A has not committed murder, but merely culpable homicide.

(c) A is lawfully arrested by Z, a bailiff. A is excited to sudden and violent passion by the arrest, and kills Z. This is murder, inasmuch as the provocation was given by a thing done by a public servant in the exercise of his powers.

(d) A appears as a witness before Z, a Magistrate. Z says that he does not believe a word of A's deposition, and that A has perjured himself. A is moved to sudden passion by these words, and kills Z. This is murder.

(e) A attempts to pull Z's nose. Z, in the exercise of the right of private defence, lays hold of A to prevent him from doing so. A is moved to sudden and violent passion in consequence, and kills Z. This is murder, inasmuch as the provocation was given by a thing done in the exercise of the right of private defence.

[Corr. PU(B) 589/2022]

(f) Z strikes B. B is by this provocation excited to violent rage. A, a bystander, intending to take advantage of B's rage, and to cause him to kill Z, puts a knife into B's hand for that purpose. B kills Z with the knife. Here B may have committed only culpable homicide, but A is guilty of murder.

Exception 2 - Culpable homicide is not murder if the offender, in the exercise in good faith of the right of private defence of person or property, exceeds the power given to him by law, and causes the death of the person against whom he is exercising such right of defence, without premeditation and without any intention of doing more harm than is necessary for the purpose of such defence.

ILLUSTRATION

Z attempts to horsewhip A, not in such a manner as to cause grievous hurt to A. A draws out a pistol. Z persists in the assault. A, believing in good faith that he can by no other means prevent himself from being horsewhipped, shoots Z dead. A has not committed murder, but only culpable homicide.

Exception 3 - Culpable homicide is not murder if the offender, being a public servant, or aiding a public servant acting for the advancement of public justice, exceeds the powers given to him by law, and causes death by doing an act which he, in good faith, believes to be lawful and necessary for the due discharge of his duty as such public servant, and without ill will towards the person whose death is caused.

Exception 4 - Culpable homicide is not murder if it is committed without premeditation in a sudden fight in the heat of passion upon a sudden quarrel, and without the offender having taken undue advantage or acted in a cruel or unusual manner.

Explanation - It is immaterial in such cases which party offers the provocation or commits the first assault.

Exception 5 - Culpable homicide is not murder when the person whose death is caused, being above the age of eighteen years, suffers death, or takes the risk of death with his own consent.

ILLUSTRATION

A, by instigation, voluntarily causes Z, a person under eighteen years of age, to commit suicide. Here, on account of Z's youth, he was incapable of giving consent to his own death. A has therefore abetted murder.

Akta 574 Kanun Keseksaan (Disemak 1997)
Bab XVI – Kesalahan yang Melibatkan Tubuh Badan Manusia
Kesalahan yang Melibatkan Kehidupan

Hukuman kerana Membunuh
Sesiapa yang melakukan kesalahan membunuh hendaklah dihukum:

dengan hukuman mati,
atau

dengan pemenjaraan selama tidak kurang daripada tiga puluh tahun dan tidak melebihi empat puluh tahun, dan jika tidak dijatuhi hukuman mati, hendaklah juga dihukum dengan sebatan tidak kurang daripada dua belas kali.

[Dipinda melalui Akta Penghapusan Hukuman Mati Mandatori 2023 (Akta 846)]

Definisi “Membunuh”
Kecuali dalam kes-kes yang dikecualikan selepas ini, kesalahan membunuh (culpable homicide) adalah dianggap sebagai pembunuhan (murder) jika:

(a) perbuatan yang menyebabkan kematian itu dilakukan dengan niat untuk membunuh;

(b) dilakukan dengan niat untuk menyebabkan kecederaan tubuh badan yang diketahui oleh pesalah mungkin menyebabkan kematian kepada orang yang tercedera itu;

(c) dilakukan dengan niat untuk menyebabkan kecederaan tubuh badan, dan kecederaan itu secara lazimnya boleh menyebabkan kematian;

(d) pesalah tahu bahawa perbuatan itu adalah amat berbahaya dan mungkin menyebabkan kematian atau kecederaan yang boleh membawa maut, dan dia melakukannya tanpa sebarang alasan yang sah.

Contoh (Ilustrasi)
(a) A menembak Z dengan niat membunuh. Z mati akibat tembakan itu. A melakukan pembunuhan.

(b) A tahu Z menghidap penyakit yang menjadikan satu tamparan pun boleh membawa maut. A memukul Z dengan niat mencederakan, dan Z mati. A bersalah atas pembunuhan, walaupun tamparan itu mungkin tidak membunuh orang yang sihat.

(c) A dengan sengaja menetak Z dengan pedang dan luka itu cukup untuk menyebabkan kematian secara normal. Z mati. A bersalah atas pembunuhan, walaupun mungkin tidak berniat untuk membunuh Z.

(d) A tanpa alasan yang sah, menembak meriam ke arah orang ramai dan membunuh seorang. A bersalah atas pembunuhan, walaupun tiada niat membunuh individu tertentu.

Pengecualian daripada Pembunuhan
Pengecualian 1 – Provokasi Berat dan Tiba-tiba
Kesalahan membunuh bukan pembunuhan jika pesalah, akibat hilang kawalan diri kerana provokasi yang berat dan tiba-tiba, menyebabkan kematian orang yang memprovokasi atau kematian orang lain secara tidak sengaja.

Syarat-syarat:

• Provokasi bukan dicari atau diprovokasi secara sukarela oleh pesalah.
• Provokasi bukan dilakukan dalam mematuhi undang-undang atau oleh penjawat awam dalam menjalankan tugas.
• Provokasi bukan dilakukan dalam pelaksanaan hak mempertahankan diri secara sah.

Contoh:

A diprovokasi oleh Z, tetapi A membunuh Y, anak Z. Ini tetap pembunuhan, kerana anak itu tidak memberi provokasi.

Pengecualian 2 – Hak Pertahanan Diri
Jika pesalah membunuh dalam pelaksanaan sah hak mempertahankan diri terhadap orang lain tanpa niat membunuh atau melebihi kuasa secara berlebihan, ia adalah bukan pembunuhan.

Contoh:

Z cuba memukul A. A percaya dia tidak boleh elakkan tanpa menembak Z. A tembak Z dan Z mati. A tidak bersalah atas pembunuhan tetapi hanya culpable homicide.

Pengecualian 3 – Penjawat Awam
Jika penjawat awam atau orang yang membantu penjawat awam bertindak dengan niat baik tetapi melebihi kuasa dalam menjalankan tugas dan menyebabkan kematian tanpa niat jahat, maka itu bukan pembunuhan.

Pengecualian 4 – Pertengkaran Mendadak
Jika kematian berlaku dalam pergaduhan secara tiba-tiba tanpa pra-rancangan, dan pesalah tidak mengambil kesempatan berlebihan atau bertindak kejam, maka ia bukan pembunuhan.

Nota: Tidak penting siapa yang mula menyerang atau memberi provokasi.

Pengecualian 5 – Kematian dengan Persetujuan
Jika orang yang mati itu berumur lebih daripada 18 tahun dan telah bersetuju atau mengambil risiko maut secara sukarela, maka bukan pembunuhan.

Contoh:

A menghasut Z (di bawah umur 18 tahun) untuk membunuh diri. Oleh sebab Z masih muda, persetujuannya tidak sah, maka A bersalah atas menghasut pembunuhan.