Malaysian women intending to travel abroad alone may need family consent according to a government proposal that seeks to prevent them from being used by crime syndicates operating in different countries including India.

Women leaders and non governmental organizations (NGOs) have called it "regressive, unfair and biased," the New Straits Times has reported.

The government says it wants to prevent women from being used as "drug mules" by international syndicates, and that Malaysia is a prime target for smuggling drugs to other countries including Europe.

Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said his ministry and the home ministry feel the move is necessary and a proposal for this has been submitted to the cabinet.

There were several incidents of women used to smuggle drugs overseas.

Of 119 cases of Malaysian women hauled before foreign courts, 90 per cent were linked to drugs, said Yatim.

A vast majority of the women are between 21 and 27 years old, and are believed to have been duped or forced into being "mules" for the drug syndicates.

The offences were committed in various countries including China, Singapore, Malta, Brazil, Peru, Taiwan, Venezuela, India, Spain and Portugal.

"Last night, my ministry, together with the home ministry, has jointly forwarded a report to the cabinet on the matter," Rais said.

"Both ministries agreed that factors like family, religion, immigration laws and preventive measures need to be considered before a Malaysian woman goes abroad alone."

He said the family consent requirement would enable the woman’s family to monitor her departure and serve as a preventive measure against her being duped by drug syndicates.

Women’s groups point out that Malaysians also are being imprisoned for various other crimes including credit card fraud, immigration offences and even human trafficking.