STATISTICS ACT 1965

This Act shall apply throughout Malaysia.

Department of Statistics

The functions of the Department shall be to collect and interpret statistics for the purpose of furnishing information required in the formation or carrying out of Government policy in any field or otherwise required for Government purposes or for meeting the needs of trade, commerce, industry or agriculture (including forestry, fishing and hunting).

Save as hereinafter provided, the Department shall where they consider it in the public interest have power to communicate statistics collected by them or their interpretation of statistics so collected not only to the Government department or person for whom the information was collected but also to other authorities or persons to whom the information or interpretation may be useful.

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Control and management of the Department

No officer of the Department who is engaged in or connected with the collection, interpretation or publication of statistics under this Act shall except as required by his duty communicate any information which has come into his possession in the course of his said duty as such.

Any officer who contravenes subsection (2) shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit or to both.

The Chief Statistician shall draw the attention of every officer engaged in or connected with the collection, interpretation or publication of statistics of the provisions of subsections (2) and

before the said officer commences to perform his duty under this Act.

Safeguards as to the use and communication of information

In communicating statistics collected by them or the interpretation thereof the Department shall take steps to ensure that the identity of any person or undertaking to whom or to which it relates is not thereby disclosed.

Notice to require particulars

The notice under subsection (1) may be served by delivering it to the person to whom it relates at a place where the undertaking in question is being carried or at his residence.

A notice may require the information to be furnished at specific times or within specific intervals.

A notice may require a person who has no knowledge of the particulars required or is unable to obtain the said particulars to furnish to the Chief Statistician the best estimates of the particulars.

The Department shall not require any person to supply information which would disclose any secret process or other trade secret.

In this section “undertaking” means any undertaking carried on by way of trade or business, any profession carried on by an individual, or any activities (whether carried on for profit or not)

of a body corporate or an unincorporated body of persons.

Particulars not related to an undertaking

The provisions of section 5 relating to notice and the service thereof shall apply to a requirement under this section as they apply to a requirement under section 5.

Penalty

fails to comply with the requirements of a notice under section 5 or section 6; or

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knowingly or recklessly furnishes or causes to be furnished any false particulars on any matter specified in such notice, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred ringgit and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding five hundred ringgit for each day after conviction during which the offence continues.

Rules

for exempting any person or class of persons from the obligation to furnish information under this Act, either wholly or to such extent as may be prescribed and either unconditionally or subject to such conditions as may be prescribed; and

for prescribing the fees which may be charged for communicating statistics collected by the Department or the interpretation by the Department of statistics so collected and the manner in which such fees may be collected and for exempting any person from the payment of such fees.

Repeal

All information collected by the Bureau of Statistics before the commencement of this Act shall be subject to the same safeguards as respects communication as are provided by this Act as if the said information was collected under this Act.

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Statistics

Act 415

LIST OF AMENDMENTS

Amending law

Short title

In force from

Act 160

Malaysian Currency 29-08-1975

(Ringgit) Act 1975

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Act 415

LIST OF SECTIONS AMENDED

Section

Amending authority

In force from 3

Act 160 29-08-1975 7

Act 160 29-08-1975

KUALA LUMPUR