Laws of Malaysia: Act 574

Penal Code Section 161

Public servant taking a gratification, other than legal remuneration, in respect of an official act

161. Whoever, being or expecting to be a public servant, accepts or obtains, or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain, from any person, for himself or for any other person, any gratification whatever, other than legal remuneration, as a motive or reward for doing or forbearing to do any official act, or for showing or forbearing to show, in the exercise of his official functions, favour or disfavour to any person, or for rendering or attempting to render any service or disservice to any person, with the Government, or with any member of the Cabinet or of Parliament or of a State Executive Council or Legislative Assembly, or with any public servant, as such, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or with both.

Explanations—“Expecting to be a public servant”. If a person not expecting to be in office obtains a gratification by deceiving others into a belief that he is about to be in office, and that he will then serve them, he may be guilty of cheating, but he is not guilty of the offence defined in this section.

“Gratification”. The word “gratification” is not restricted to pecuniary gratifications, or to gratifications estimable in money.

“Legal remuneration”. The words “legal remuneration” are not restricted to remuneration which a public servant can lawfully demand, but include all remuneration which he is permitted by law to accept.

“A motive or reward for doing”. A person who receives a gratification as a motive for doing what he does not intend to do, or as a reward for doing what he has not done, comes within these words.

ILLUSTRATIONS

(a) A, a Judge, obtains from Z, a banker, a situation in Z’s bank for A’s brother, as a reward to A for deciding a cause in favour of Z. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

(b) A, a public servant, induces Z erroneously to believe that A’s influence with the Chairman of a Town Board has obtained for Z a contract to do work, and thus induces Z to give A money. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

(c) A, a public servant, induces Z erroneously to believe that A’s influence with the Government has obtained a grant of land for Z, and thus induces Z to give A money, as a reward for his service. A has committed the offence defined in this section.