SEREMBAN: Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of law and institutional reforms, has emphasized the importance of mobile courts in expediting the hearing and disposal of sexual-related offences involving children. Azalina said that although 72.6% of the 6,791 cases have been brought to court, it is vital to ensure that all cases are eventually heard and decided by the judiciary.
She expressed concern over cases that are not continued due to reasons such as trauma and logistical issues faced by victims, including having to attend court and the distance involved.
Azalina stressed the need for all cases to be brought before the courts to send a message that such offences against children will not be tolerated, and offenders will be promptly dealt with. She mentioned that the government had hoped to hear and dispose of all sexual offences involving children within 12 months when the Sexual Offences Against Children Act was formulated.
In addition to mobile courts, Azalina proposed the establishment of special cyber courts in all states to address cases related to online grooming. Currently, only Kuala Lumpur has a cyber court dedicated to handling such cases. Azalina emphasized the importance of an effective approach to dealing with offenders, as delayed justice is often seen as justice denied.
Azalina acknowledged that there is a shortage of judges specializing in handling cases related to sexual offences against children. She stated that this issue, along with other challenges faced by the courts, must be addressed to effectively safeguard the rights of the child. The government has taken steps to upgrade and equip 40 Session Courts nationwide with the necessary facilities to hear such cases, with a budget of RM5mil approved for this purpose in Budget 2023.
Azalina expressed hope that these issues and challenges would be addressed with the establishment of the Office of the Child Commissioner (OCC), a bill for which is set to be tabled in Parliament in October. The OCC, an independent body, would complement ministries and government agencies while assisting in developing best practices for children. It would also oversee matters such as the well-being of the estimated 9.5 million children nationwide, children under detention, proper procedures in court, victim assistance, and compensation for abuse victims.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
