Official Secrets Act 1972 s 19
s 19 Powers of search and seizure
(1) Whenever it appears to any Magistrate upon information and after such inquiry as he thinks necessary that there is reasonable cause to believe that in any place there is any evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act, he may, by warrant directed to any police officer empower such officer to enter such place, by force if necessary, and there to search for, seize and detain any such evidence.
(2) Whenever it appears to any police officer not below the rank of Inspector that there is reasonable cause to believe that in any place there is concealed or deposited any evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act, or of any prescribed offence, and such police officer has reasonable grounds for believing that by reason of the delay in obtaining a search warrant the object of the search is likely to be frustrated, he may exercise in and in respect of such place all the powers mentioned in subsection (1) in as full and ample a measure as if he were empowered to do so by warrant issued under such subsection.
Malay text (authoritative)
Kuasa bagi menggeledah dan menyita
(1) Apabila didapati oleh seseorang Majistret daripada maklumat dan selepas apa-apa siasatan yang difikirkannya perlu bahawa ada sebab yang munasabah bagi mempercayai bahawa di sesuatu tempat ada sesuatu keterangan mengenai pelakuan sesuatu kesalahan di bawah Akta ini, dia boleh, dengan waran yang diarahkan kepada seseorang pegawai polis memberikan kuasa kepada pegawai itu untuk memasuki tempat itu, dengan kekerasan jika perlu, dan di situ menggeledah, menyita dan menahan sesuatu keterangan sedemikian.
(2) Apabila didapati oleh seseorang pegawai polis yang berpangkat tidak rendah daripada Inspektor bahawa ada sebab yang munasabah bagi mempercayai bahawa di sesuatu tempat ada disembunyikan atau disimpan sesuatu keterangan mengenai pelakuan sesuatu kesalahan di bawah Akta ini, atau mengenai pelakuan sesuatu kesalahan yang ditetapkan, dan pegawai polis itu ada alasan yang munasabah bagi mempercayai bahawa kerana kelewatan bagi mendapatkan waran geledah tujuan penggeledahan itu mungkin kecewa, dia boleh menjalankan di tempat itu dan berkenaan dengan tempat itu segala kuasa yang disebut dalam subseksyen (1) dengan langkah yang sepenuh dan secukupnya seolah-olah dia diberi kuasa untuk berbuat demikian dengan waran yang dikeluarkan di bawah subseksyen itu.
Read this section in the full act β
Find Act 88 on lom.agc.gov.my β
Text as at 1 January 2006 (LOM reprint); amendments made after that date may not be incorporated.
Source: Laws of Malaysia, Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia (lom.agc.gov.my). Not a copy of the Gazette printed by the Government Printer (Interpretation Acts 1948 and 1967, s 61).
