PUTRAJAYA: The Justice on Wheels (JoW) initiative comes at the right time to strengthen public access to justice through Malaysia Madani principles, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said the initiative aims to assist the Legal Aid Department at state level in delivering direct services to communities, particularly those in rural, remote, and low-income areas.
She believes JoW will significantly expand access to legal services, fulfilling the government's commitment to making justice more inclusive and accessible to all.
"The timing is perfect. Given the challenges currently facing the rld, the government has been mindful in its preparations.
"Last year, we prepared, and this year, we implement, anticipating that the challenges facing the people would be even greater.
"So today, we launch access to justice as we intend to deliver it," she said during the handover ceremony for the Office of the Public Defender, launch of JoW, and commissioning of mediators for the Legal Aid Department on Monday (April 20).
JoW is a strategic service delivered via vans, envisioned by Azalina.
It is intended to provide direct legal advice and assistance to communities, especially in rural areas, using vans modified to function as mobile offices.
Services provided include free legal advice, legal aid applications, and legal education and awareness programmes.
Azalina said this approach is essential to ensure that people no longer have to rely solely on visiting government offices in person to obtain legal assistance.
Detailing the service, she said JoW can be expanded as needed, operating after office hours, on public holidays, and at district level with the involvement of elected representatives.
"If possible, I want these vans to reach every parliamentary constituency as a starting point, before expanding to the district level.
"It doesn't matter whether it's opposition or government seats; what matters is that we deliver legal services," said the Pengerang MP.
The launch of 11 new JoW vans gives the Legal Aid Department confidence that the programme can be rolled out more effectively nationwide, aligning with the Madani government's vision of a justice system that is people-centred, she added. – Bernama
