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| Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar |
SIBU: Provisions under Section 36 of the Arms Act 1960 have to be relooked in order to remain relevant to deal with the issue of imitation guns.
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this was especially so if the act or offence committed by a person did not fall under the provision of Section 6 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971.
“There are two Acts of Parliament governing imitation guns, one complementing the other under specific circumstances.
“Section 36 of Arms Act 1960 provides punishment for importing or in possession of imitation gun and is punishable with not more than one year jail or a fine of RM5,000 or both. But if the person uses the gun to commit, attempt to commit, or conspire to commit an offence which possibly puts a person in fear of death or grievous hurt shall be punished with imprisonment up to 10 years and three lashes of the whip.
“From the provisions mentioned, obviously there is a need to have a relook at the provisions of Section 36 of the Arms Act 1960 to make the provisions more relevant especially, if the act or offence committed by the person does not fall under the provision of Section 6 of Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971,” Wan Junaidi said.
He was asked if there was a plan by the government to review the existing penalty for selling or possessing imitation (fake) guns, making it stiffer to curb the sale of such gadgets that resemble genuine firearms following the arrest of a restaurant waiter from a house in Matang last week after he was found in possession of a cache of ‘never-before-seen’ imitation air rifles and pistols.
Speaking at a press conference in Kuching, district police chief ACP Roslan Bek Ahmad said that police personnel inspected a room in the house and found nine sets of imitation weapons comprising four rifles and five pistols, along with various related components.
