Official Secrets 5 LAWS OF MALAYSIA Act 88 OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT 1972 An Act to revise and consolidate the law relating to the protection of official secrets. [1 October 1972] BE IT ENACTED by the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong with the advice and consent of the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: Short title 1. This Act may be cited as the Official Secrets Act 1972. Interpretation 2. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— “armed forces” includes— (a) any regular or volunteer armed forces of Malaysia whether in Malaysia or outside Malaysia; (b) any regular or volunteer armed forces of any foreign country or of any territory outside Malaysia attached to or operating with any of the armed forces of Malaysia whether in Malaysia or outside Malaysia; (c) any visiting forces within the meaning of any law for the time being in force regulating visiting forces lawfully present in Malaysia; “article” includes any thing, substance or material; “competent authority” means the competent authority appointed by the Minister by order published in the Gazette in respect of any one or more prohibited places or class of prohibited places;