FIVE DAY BANKING: (Jan 25) Malaysians will only have weekdays to do direct banking from next month as all commercial banks will be adopting the five-day work week. The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) feels that this will encourage electronic banking. However, consumer groups feel that a large number of Malaysians carry out their transactions on the two Saturdays in a month that banks are open, and feel that implementing a five-day week may inconvenience this group.
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE: (Jan 23) A Code of Practice on Body Search will be incorporated into amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) that will be tabled in Parliament in March. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Sheikh Ahmad, who heads the Parliamentary Select Committee on Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes, said at present there were so many different rules and regulations that “nobody knew what procedure to follow.” He said the seven-member select committee had been working on major amendments to the CPC for nearly two years and the first draft was ready.
