BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): Trafficking in persons is a serious, borderless crime that violates human dignity and undermines the rule of law, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong said, calling for a firm, coordinated and victim-sensitive judicial response across Asean.
He made the remarks while officiating the Cultural Night hosted by the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam on Wednesday, February 4, as part of the Asean Multilateral Judicial Knowledge Exchange (JKE) on Victim-Sensitive Adjudication of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Cases.
Held at J Hotel, the event brought together members of Asean judiciaries, judicial education institutions, and regional and international partners, providing an informal platform to strengthen collegial ties following several days of intensive judicial discussions.
The Chief Justice highlighted Brunei Darussalam’s whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in combating trafficking in persons, he referred to the role of the Brunei Darussalam National Committee on Trafficking in Persons, chaired by the Prime Minister’s Office, in coordinating national efforts involving enforcement agencies, policymakers, prosecutors and the judiciary.
“The Judiciary plays an important role within this ecosystem by ensuring that trafficking cases are adjudicated fairly, consistently and with due sensitivity to the experiences of victims,” he said.
Also present were Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Michael Hoy, Acting Permanent Secretary (Security and Law) at the Prime Minister’s Office Awang Zulhusam bin Haji Abdul Samad, members of the National Committee on Trafficking in Persons, Justices and Judges from Asean Member States, representatives of judicial training institutions, members of the Working Group on Judicial Education and Training of the Council of Asean Chief Justices (CACJ), as well as partners from the Asean-Australia Counter Trafficking Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The Chief Justice expressed Brunei Darussalam’s honour in hosting the Judicial Knowledge Exchange and conveyed appreciation to the CACJ Working Group, the Australian Government, UNODC, the organising committee, and all speakers and participants for their contributions.
The Cultural Night featured cultural performances by Senandung Budaya from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
