KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed registry for domestic violence offenders requires cooperation from other ministries and agencies, as the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry does not have access to vital information such as criminal and court records.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the ministry wants the registry implemented soon but needs the support of relevant agencies such as the police and judiciary to work out a solution.
“We want to listen to the feedback today because it is not possible for us to do it, as it (certain information) is under the control of other ministries and agencies.
“Therefore, we are trying our best to get them to support us as the information is private and confidential,” she told reporters after opening the “Strengthening Policy to Address the Reality of Domestic Violence: Facing Challenges and Empowering the Family Institution” symposium here yesterday.
Nancy said she hoped stakeholders would discuss the matter and work towards a solution.
“At the moment, we can’t (access the information). We would like to get that done,” she said.
The proposed Domestic Violence Offenders Registry was raised by Nancy in July, when she said the ministry was working with the police and judiciary to develop a mechanism to record and monitor repeat offenders through criminal records or related registries.
She said the proposal had been discussed at a domestic violence case coordination meeting on April 29 and was aimed at strengthening prevention, enforcement and protection for victims.
In August, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Lim Hui Ying told the Dewan Negara that the government was studying the proposal jointly with the ministry, police and judiciary, as there was currently no accurate data on repeat offenders.
In her speech at the symposium, Nancy said domestic violence was not limited to physical injuries but also included emotional and psychological abuse, sexual violence, intimidation, restricting victims’ movements, damaging property, financial control and threats involving digital technology.
She said such abuse could leave lasting emotional and psychological scars even when there were no visible injuries.
Nancy stressed that domestic violence should not be treated as an internal family matter but as a security issue and a violation of human rights requiring systematic action from all parties.
Police statistics showed that 7,391 domestic violence cases were recorded last year, compared with 7,116 in 2024, an increase of 3.9%.
Another 5,862 cases were reported up to September this year.
She said the ministry was strengthening its approach to prevention, early intervention, protection and rehabilitation under the Dasar Kasih Keluarga Negara 2026-2030, alongside initiatives by its agencies.
Among them are the Wonderful Life programme, the Well-being Advocacy Programme for Women@Domestic Violence and the Squad Waja volunteer programme, run by the ministry’s welfare and women development departments.
Nancy said the symposium, held in two series, brought together government agencies, NGOs, researchers and domestic violence survivors to identify challenges and assess the effectiveness of existing approaches.
Those seeking help can contact the Talian Kasih hotline at 15999, which operates round the clock throughout the year, or send a WhatsApp message to 019-261 5999.
