Enticing a Married Spouse: Legal and Moral Considerations Following the Abolition of Section 498 of the Penal Code
Abstract
This article examines the abolition of the Offence of Enticing a Married Woman under Section 498 of the Penal Code and identifies laws related to morality and adultery from religious and historical perspectives. The study aims to propose recommendations for replacing the repealed provision with more appropriate legislation. A mixed-method approach was employed, involving both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were collected through literature reviews, documentation, and surveys, and subsequently analysed using content analysis and descriptive methods, including frequency and percentage distributions. The findings indicate that the repeal of Section 498 aligns with the principles of gender equality as provided in the Federal Constitution. However, adultery remains as offense against cultural, moral, and religious values, particularly within the Muslim community in Malaysia. The repeal of this provision may have adverse implications for family and social institutions in the country. Consequently, this article advocates for the enactment of a new provision to address the offense of enticing a married spouse, regardless of whether the spouse is a husband or wife. Such provision is essential to uphold gender equality, in line with the principles upheld in the Federal Constitution.
Keywords: Crime, enticing married women, morals, adultery, family, society
Full Text: PDF
References
1. Abu Hasan Mohd Sham. (2001). Peraturan dan Hukum Kanun di Pahang dari Zaman Melaka Hingga Zaman Pemerintahan Sultan Abdul Ghafur Muhaiyuddin Shah. Dlm. Zainuddin Hj. Jumaat, Haji Saedan Abdul Latif, Haji Alang Ahmad Haji Teh, Mohd Anuar Ismail, Haji Mohd Kenali Haji Abu Talib & Mohd Adzmin Haji Mohd Saad (Eds.), Pahang Meniti Zaman. Persatuan Sejarah Pahang.
2. Abu Zahrah. (1997). Al-jarimah wa al-‘uqubah fi al-fiqh al-Islami. Dar al-Fikr al-Arabi.
3. Ahmad Ibrahim & Mahmood Saedon A. Othman. (1988). Ke arah islamisasi undang-undang di Malaysia. Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia.
4. Al-Dusuki Shamsuddin Muhammad. (1929). Hasyiah al-Dusuki ‘ala al-syarh al-kabir. Maktabah al-Azhariyyah.
5. Al-Maraghi. (1945). Tafsir al-Maraghi. Maktabah Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi.
6. Al-Nawawi. (1955). Sahih Muslim bi sharh al-Nawawi. Dar Ihya’ Al-Kutub al-‘Arabiyyah.
7. Al-Nawawi. (2001). Al-majmu’ syarh al-muhazzab. Dar Ihya’ Turath Al-‘Arabi.
8. Al-Zabla’ei. (2010). Tabyiin al-haqaiq sharh kanz al-daqa’iq. Matba’ah Bulak.
9. Avvyat Anantya & Mirna Nur Alia Abdullah. (2024). Perceraian di era digital: Kasus perselingkuhan menjadi tren di media sosial dan dampaknya. Jurnal Sosiologi, Antropologi, dan Budaya Nusantara, 3(2), 100-107.
10. Azman Mohd Noor. (2010). Stoning for Adultery in Christianity and Islam and its implementation in contemporary muslim societies. Intellectual Discourse, 18(1), 97-113.
11. Bo Chi Chian, Liau Pin Chun & Wallace Kew JiaRong. (2022). Law of enticement - Does its rationale still hold waters nowadays? University of Malaya Law Review. https://www.umlawreview.com/lex-in-breve/law-of-enticement-does-its-rationale-still-hold-water-nowadays
12. Ibn al-Humam. (1970). Syarh fath al-qadir. Mustafa Al-Babi Al-Halabi, Kaherah.
13. Ibn Kathir. (1997). Tafsir al-quran al-azim. Dar Tayyibah Lil Nash Wa Tauzi’.
14. Ibn Qudamah. (1984). Al-Mughni. Dar Al-Fikr.
15. JAKIM. (2013). Tafsir pimpinan al-Quran kepada pengertian al-Quran (ed. ke-22). Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia.
16. Joseph Shine lwn Union of India, WP (Criminal) 194/2017 (Supreme Court of India, 2017).
17. Kanun Keseksaan Malaysia, Akta 574. (2023). https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/outputaktap/1841145_BI/WJW23%EF%80%A21011%20Act%20574.pdf.
18. Kanun Tatacara Jenayah, Akta 593. (2021). https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/outputaktap/2368175_BM/Akta%20A1722.pdf.
19. Lai Hen Beng lwn Pendakwa Raya, [2024] 1 CLJ 681 (Mahkamah Persekutuan, 2024).
20. Mariyam Salim. (2005). Undang-undang Kedah. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
21. Mohamed Hanifa Maidin. (2023, 27 Disember). Goda isteri: Memahami Seksyen 498 Kanun Keseksaan. Malaysiakini. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/691322.
22. Muhammad Fathi Yusof. (2023, 16 Disember). Pikat isteri orang tak salah: Adakah perogol juga boleh bebas? Harakahdaily. https://harakahdaily.net/index.php/2023/12/16/pikat-isteri-orang-tak-salah-adakah-perogol-juga-boleh-bebas/.
23. Nor Aini Abdullah. (2010). Section 498 Penal Code (Act 574): An antiquated law? Journal of Malaysian and Comperative Law, 37, 101-113.
24. Nor Asyikin Abd Rahman. (2018). Orang ketiga: Punca kepada perceraian. Buletin Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://fsu.uis.edu.my/images/krc/buletin/artikel-krc-nov-2018.pdf.
25. Rogayah Estar Mohamad, Elmi Baharuddin, Noorazean Razali, Nurul Ashiqin Jaafar & Nur Filzahruz Mohamad. (2021). Sah, punca penceraian pasangan dewasa Islam: Perspektif badan pelaksana. Journal of Fatwa Management and Research, 26(2), 368-380.
26. Roslina Che Soh @ Yusof, Nora Abdul Hak, Noraini Mohd Hashim & Muhammad Helmi Md. Said. (2021). Repercussions of marital infidelity in Malaysia: A legal response. IIUM Law Journal, 29 (S1), 91-109.
27. Santosh Kumar Tiwari & Tejasve Raj Tyagi. (2023). Changing dimension of adultery: An overview. International Journal of Innovative Research and Creative Technology, 9(11), 1-5.
28. Shafiyah Iqlimah Mohd Nadzri. (2020). Polemik perceraian di Malaysia. Perspektif. Jabatan Kajian Politik Nasional & Antarabangsa, Terengganu Strategic & Integrity Institute (TSIS). https://www.tsis.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Polemik-Perceraian-di-Malaysia.pdf.
29. Suhaizad Saifuddin & Hanifah Haydar Ali Tajuddin. (2024). Application Shifting the burden of proof in syariah criminal cases under the Syariah Court Evidence Enactment in Malaysia. Journal of Shariah Law Research, 9(1), 27-46.
30. Suhaizad Saifuddin, Azizah Mat Rashid, Adibah Bahori & Mohamad Azhan Yahya. (2021). Peranan Undang-undang Syariah di Malaysia dalam melindungi hak kanak-kanak berdasarkan maqasid al-shari’ah, Jurnal Muwafaqat, 4(1), 93-109.
31. Suhaizad Saifuddin, Nurul Fadhlina Che Daud & Nurul Akmar Mohamad Hilmi. (2024). Sulh as an instrument of alternative dispute resolution (adr): Practice in syariah court of Negeri Sembilan. Jurnal Undang-undang dan Masyarakat, 34(2), 49-60.
32. Suhaizad Saifuddin, Hanifah Haydar Ali Tajuddin, Mohamad Azhan Yahya, Mohamad Rizal Abd Rahman & Fatimah Yusro Hashim. (2024). Examining the application of standard of proof in criminal cases: A comparative analysis of Islamic Law and Common Law in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, 12(1), 11-22.
33. Syed Naquib al-Attas. (1969). Preliminary statement on a general theory of the islamization of the Malay-Indonesian archipelago. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
34. Syed Qutb. (1972). Fi zilal al-Quran. Dar Syuruk.
35. Wan Ahmad Fauzi Hashim @ Wan Husain. (2023). Keperlembagaan Seksyen 498 Kanun Keseksaan: Analisis jurisprudens watan. Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, 11(2), 405c419.
36. Yusuf al-Qardawi. (1960). Al-Halal wa haram fi Islam. Maktabah Wahbah Lil Tabaah wa Al-Nashr.
2. Abu Zahrah. (1997). Al-jarimah wa al-‘uqubah fi al-fiqh al-Islami. Dar al-Fikr al-Arabi.
3. Ahmad Ibrahim & Mahmood Saedon A. Othman. (1988). Ke arah islamisasi undang-undang di Malaysia. Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia.
4. Al-Dusuki Shamsuddin Muhammad. (1929). Hasyiah al-Dusuki ‘ala al-syarh al-kabir. Maktabah al-Azhariyyah.
5. Al-Maraghi. (1945). Tafsir al-Maraghi. Maktabah Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi.
6. Al-Nawawi. (1955). Sahih Muslim bi sharh al-Nawawi. Dar Ihya’ Al-Kutub al-‘Arabiyyah.
7. Al-Nawawi. (2001). Al-majmu’ syarh al-muhazzab. Dar Ihya’ Turath Al-‘Arabi.
8. Al-Zabla’ei. (2010). Tabyiin al-haqaiq sharh kanz al-daqa’iq. Matba’ah Bulak.
9. Avvyat Anantya & Mirna Nur Alia Abdullah. (2024). Perceraian di era digital: Kasus perselingkuhan menjadi tren di media sosial dan dampaknya. Jurnal Sosiologi, Antropologi, dan Budaya Nusantara, 3(2), 100-107.
10. Azman Mohd Noor. (2010). Stoning for Adultery in Christianity and Islam and its implementation in contemporary muslim societies. Intellectual Discourse, 18(1), 97-113.
11. Bo Chi Chian, Liau Pin Chun & Wallace Kew JiaRong. (2022). Law of enticement - Does its rationale still hold waters nowadays? University of Malaya Law Review. https://www.umlawreview.com/lex-in-breve/law-of-enticement-does-its-rationale-still-hold-water-nowadays
12. Ibn al-Humam. (1970). Syarh fath al-qadir. Mustafa Al-Babi Al-Halabi, Kaherah.
13. Ibn Kathir. (1997). Tafsir al-quran al-azim. Dar Tayyibah Lil Nash Wa Tauzi’.
14. Ibn Qudamah. (1984). Al-Mughni. Dar Al-Fikr.
15. JAKIM. (2013). Tafsir pimpinan al-Quran kepada pengertian al-Quran (ed. ke-22). Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia.
16. Joseph Shine lwn Union of India, WP (Criminal) 194/2017 (Supreme Court of India, 2017).
17. Kanun Keseksaan Malaysia, Akta 574. (2023). https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/outputaktap/1841145_BI/WJW23%EF%80%A21011%20Act%20574.pdf.
18. Kanun Tatacara Jenayah, Akta 593. (2021). https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/outputaktap/2368175_BM/Akta%20A1722.pdf.
19. Lai Hen Beng lwn Pendakwa Raya, [2024] 1 CLJ 681 (Mahkamah Persekutuan, 2024).
20. Mariyam Salim. (2005). Undang-undang Kedah. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
21. Mohamed Hanifa Maidin. (2023, 27 Disember). Goda isteri: Memahami Seksyen 498 Kanun Keseksaan. Malaysiakini. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/691322.
22. Muhammad Fathi Yusof. (2023, 16 Disember). Pikat isteri orang tak salah: Adakah perogol juga boleh bebas? Harakahdaily. https://harakahdaily.net/index.php/2023/12/16/pikat-isteri-orang-tak-salah-adakah-perogol-juga-boleh-bebas/.
23. Nor Aini Abdullah. (2010). Section 498 Penal Code (Act 574): An antiquated law? Journal of Malaysian and Comperative Law, 37, 101-113.
24. Nor Asyikin Abd Rahman. (2018). Orang ketiga: Punca kepada perceraian. Buletin Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://fsu.uis.edu.my/images/krc/buletin/artikel-krc-nov-2018.pdf.
25. Rogayah Estar Mohamad, Elmi Baharuddin, Noorazean Razali, Nurul Ashiqin Jaafar & Nur Filzahruz Mohamad. (2021). Sah, punca penceraian pasangan dewasa Islam: Perspektif badan pelaksana. Journal of Fatwa Management and Research, 26(2), 368-380.
26. Roslina Che Soh @ Yusof, Nora Abdul Hak, Noraini Mohd Hashim & Muhammad Helmi Md. Said. (2021). Repercussions of marital infidelity in Malaysia: A legal response. IIUM Law Journal, 29 (S1), 91-109.
27. Santosh Kumar Tiwari & Tejasve Raj Tyagi. (2023). Changing dimension of adultery: An overview. International Journal of Innovative Research and Creative Technology, 9(11), 1-5.
28. Shafiyah Iqlimah Mohd Nadzri. (2020). Polemik perceraian di Malaysia. Perspektif. Jabatan Kajian Politik Nasional & Antarabangsa, Terengganu Strategic & Integrity Institute (TSIS). https://www.tsis.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Polemik-Perceraian-di-Malaysia.pdf.
29. Suhaizad Saifuddin & Hanifah Haydar Ali Tajuddin. (2024). Application Shifting the burden of proof in syariah criminal cases under the Syariah Court Evidence Enactment in Malaysia. Journal of Shariah Law Research, 9(1), 27-46.
30. Suhaizad Saifuddin, Azizah Mat Rashid, Adibah Bahori & Mohamad Azhan Yahya. (2021). Peranan Undang-undang Syariah di Malaysia dalam melindungi hak kanak-kanak berdasarkan maqasid al-shari’ah, Jurnal Muwafaqat, 4(1), 93-109.
31. Suhaizad Saifuddin, Nurul Fadhlina Che Daud & Nurul Akmar Mohamad Hilmi. (2024). Sulh as an instrument of alternative dispute resolution (adr): Practice in syariah court of Negeri Sembilan. Jurnal Undang-undang dan Masyarakat, 34(2), 49-60.
32. Suhaizad Saifuddin, Hanifah Haydar Ali Tajuddin, Mohamad Azhan Yahya, Mohamad Rizal Abd Rahman & Fatimah Yusro Hashim. (2024). Examining the application of standard of proof in criminal cases: A comparative analysis of Islamic Law and Common Law in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, 12(1), 11-22.
33. Syed Naquib al-Attas. (1969). Preliminary statement on a general theory of the islamization of the Malay-Indonesian archipelago. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
34. Syed Qutb. (1972). Fi zilal al-Quran. Dar Syuruk.
35. Wan Ahmad Fauzi Hashim @ Wan Husain. (2023). Keperlembagaan Seksyen 498 Kanun Keseksaan: Analisis jurisprudens watan. Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, 11(2), 405c419.
36. Yusuf al-Qardawi. (1960). Al-Halal wa haram fi Islam. Maktabah Wahbah Lil Tabaah wa Al-Nashr.
Published
2025-01-28
How to Cite
SAIFUDDIN, Suhaizad; BENELDUS, Bernard Noel.
Enticing a Married Spouse: Legal and Moral Considerations Following the Abolition of Section 498 of the Penal Code.
Kanun: Jurnal Undang-undang Malaysia, [S.l.], v. 37, n. 1, p. 121-142, jan. 2025.
ISSN 2682-8057.
Available at: <http://jurnal.dbp.my/index.php/Kanun/article/view/8957>. Date accessed: 03 mar. 2025.
doi: https://doi.org/10.37052/kanun.37(1)no6.
Section
Articles
