It was enacted to provide for the detection and punishment of the offences of abduction, wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement for ransom and other related offences and for matters incidental thereto.

The Kidnapping Act 1961, in its current form (1 January 2006), consists of 16 sections and no schedule (including 5 amendments), without separate Part.

Section 3(1) created a capital offence with a discretionary death penalty.

The death penalty for this offence was abolished by sections 52 and 53 of the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023.

[1] Lee Ah Kiew was sentenced to death, under this section, in 1985,[2] and was executed on 21 May 1987.