One in four incidents of domestic abuse cases recorded between 2014 and 2016 involved male victims, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim.

At a press conference at Parliament today, Rohani said there were 15,617 incidents of domestic abuse recorded during that period.

He said that the increase in the number of abuses involving male victims were among reasons why Putrajaya tabled a bill today to amend the Domestic Violence Act 1994.

"People generally perceive that the law only protects women, when it fact it involves everyone in the family - in-laws, children.

"There appears to be an uptrend in domestic violence involving male victims, amounting to 26 percent," she said.

She said that the proposed amendments would facilitate a the issuance of interim protection orders (IPO) and emergency protection orders (EPO) for victims by the community welfare department.

"Incidences of domestic violence usually happen on weekends and we are unable to issue IPOs because the courts are closed," said Rohani, when explaining the need to legislate provisions for the EPO.

She said once the IPO and EPO is issued, the community welfare department will seek a court order for the pair to live separately, temporarily.

Rohani said the amended law would require the perpetrator of domestic violence to vacate the house temporarily, regardless of which spouse owned the house.