Criminal law: The Penal Code Edit
For most of the 19th century the criminal law which applied in the Straits Settlements (comprising Prince of Wales' Island (Penang), Singapore and Malacca) was that of the United Kingdom, insofar as local circumstances permitted. There was little doubt that at the time English common law crimes were recognized in these territories. However, due to problems such as doubts as to the applicability of Indian Acts, in 1871 the Straits Settlements Penal Code 1871[15] was enacted. It came into operation on 16 September 1872. The Code was practically a re-enactment of the Indian Penal Code.
Over the years, the Penal Code has been amended several times. In 1973 punishments for certain offences were enhanced, and by the Penal Code (Amendment) Act 1984,[citation needed] which came into effect on 31 August 1984, mandatory minimum penalties were introduced for certain offences. A major review of the Code was launched in 2006.