Provisions Malaysia's Animals Act of 1953 (AA) is the country's major piece of animal welfare legislation. Under the AA, a person commits an offense of animal cruelty if they “cruelly beats, kicks, ill-treats, overrides, overdrives, overloads, tortures, infuriates or terrifies any animal." Specific offenses include failing to supply sufficient food or water to an animal in confinement or transport; confining an animal in a way that causes unnecessary suffering; fighting or baiting animals; using an unfit animal for work or labor; and killing, poising, maiming, or rendering useless an animal. In conclusion, it is prohibited based on animal rights of existence. The Malaysian Penal Code distinguishes between animals worth at least
RM5, and those worth at least RM25; penalties for cruelty against the latter group are heavier, indicating the protection of animals as property as one of the goals of Malaysian anti-cruelty statutes. In 2014 (before the passage of the AWA), Malaysia received a C out of possible grades A, B, C, D, E, F, G on
World Animal Protection's Animal Protection Index. It was again given a C grade in their 2020 rankings.
Enforcement Penalties for cruelty towards animals have historically been very mild. • In 2005, when a dog suffered such neglect that it had to be euthanized, its owner was fined RM100. • In 2011, a woman who tortured and stomped kittens to death was fined RM400. • In 2012, a person who poured boiling water on a stray dog was fined RM200. • In another 2012 incident, the owners of a cat hotel left 150 cats unattended long enough that they suffered severe starvation and dehydration. They were charged RM6000 for 30 counts of cruelty and neglect and given 3 months in prison. This was the first time an animal cruelty case had reached the Malaysian High Court and the first time a sentence of more than a few days in prison had been given for an animal cruelty conviction. • In 2013, a woman was sentenced to one year in prison for killing her employer's dog. According to SEE (2013), "These cases more or less sum up the history of animal cruelty prosecution in Malaysia." but despite over 7000 reports of abuses, crimes against animals remain rampant and convictions are rare. • In November 2024, a cleaner was arrested for beating a mother dog and her puppies to death at a school. He was released as the Attorney-General's Chambers declined to press charges == Animals used for food ==