PENGERANG: All court cases involving children, whether they are offenders or victims, must be prioritised and resolved within one year, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) added the government is introducing new guidelines and standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure cases involving minors are handled swiftly and sensitively.
“We want all cases involving children, whether they are accused or victims, to be completed within a year.
“This will become a guideline for the courts and the Attorney General’s Chambers,” she said after the handing-over ceremony of the new Pengerang court building yesterday.
Azalina said the initiative, agreed upon by the Chief Justice and Chief Judge of Malaya, will be launched on Friday at the Palace of Justice.
She said special courtrooms for sexual crimes and child abuse cases, along with “evidence vans” to record testimony from young witnesses, are among the measures being introduced to support the process.
Legal infrastructure: Azalina (centre) witnessing the handover of a replica key for the Johor Pengerang court building between the Johor Public Works Department and Legal Affairs Department. — Bernama
“Sometimes when a case is delayed, a child witness may later refuse to testify as they grow older or feel ashamed. That is why these new instruments, including mobile recording facilities, are important,” she added.
Azalina said that the new SOP aims to reassure parents that schools and the justice system are safe and responsive when handling cases involving minors.
On another matter, she stated that talks are progressing with social media platforms to restrict access for users aged 16 and below, an age limit that aligns with regulations in several other countries.
“The good thing is that we already have the Online Harms Act, developed with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Legal Affairs Division.
“Its implementation will strengthen monitoring of social media platforms when directed by the government.”
Azalina also said that the government plans to create more maritime courts nationwide to handle cases related to maritime law and sea trade.
“Currently, we only have one maritime court in Kuala Lumpur. But with the growing number of maritime-related cases, especially in Johor, Sarawak and Langkawi, there is a need to set up more.”
Azalina said she is working with Transport Minister Anthony Loke to improve legal frameworks under the Maritime Act, and hopes that proposed amendments can be tabled in Parliament next year.
“My focus is on ensuring that the courts are ready to facilitate new maritime laws. The legal provisions already exist, but we want to strengthen and modernise them,” Azalina added.
