Implications of forfeiting property in money laundering cases in Malaysia
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the broad concept of forfeiture, its legal positions in the UK and Malaysia, and to highlight the implications of such forfeiture systems and legislations.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a doctrinal legal analysis and secondary data, which analyses primary sources, the POCA (2002) and the AMLATFA 2001, and secondary sources including case law, articles in academic journals, books and online databases.
Findings
The authors contend that the civil forfeiture system and law have far-reaching implications, affecting not only law enforcement agencies, but also on property owners, the courts and bona fide third parties. Also, civil forfeiture law as contained in AMLATFA 2001 represents one of the most serious encroachments on private property rights. Not only that, such a legal rule has made property, and not the owner, guilty until proven innocent.
Originality/value
This paper could be a useful source of information for practitioners, academicians and students. It could also be a beneficial guide for policymakers for any possible future amendments to the law.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research is supported by the Accounting Research Institute and the Faculty of Law, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Citation
Hamin, Z., Omar, N. and Abdul Hakim, M.M. (2017), "Implications of forfeiting property in money laundering cases in Malaysia", Journal of Money Laundering Control, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 334-344. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMLC-10-2015-0046
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited