JUSTICE ON WHEELS TO BE EXPANDED TO PENINSULA

IPOH, July 21 (Bernama) - The Legal Aid Department will expand the Justice on Wheels (JoW) programme to Peninsular Malaysia to provide understanding and assistance to the B40 group in resolving legal issues.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the first JoW programme in Peninsular Malaysia will be implemented in Negeri Sembilan at the end of this month and will move to other suitable locations based on public demand.

“We actually started in Sabah and Sarawak in early January. Based on the high demand, we decided to expand this programme to Peninsular Malaysia, starting in Negeri Sembilan and then possibly in Perak and other places.

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“From our findings, many issues involve inheritance matters, and most residents do not have access to resolve them. Therefore, the JoW platform is seen as capable of providing help,” he told reporters after officiating the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) "Meet the Customer Day" programme, which was attended by over 500 visitors at Aeon Big Falim here today.

On Jan 25, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said emphasised that JoW not only involves mobile counter services using vans to provide legal assistance but also functions to disseminate information about national laws.

Kulasegaran said since its implementation in Sabah and Sarawak, the JoW programme has successfully provided legal advice to 358 clients from January to the end of June.

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Commenting on today's programme, he said a total of 13 departments, agencies, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) participated with the aim of promoting their respective roles to the public.

He added that it is also an effort by BHEUU to open up opportunities and provide understanding to the public regarding government policies, acts, procedures, and specific guidelines related to the roles of the departments and agencies involved.

“Among those involved are BHEUU, Perak Legal Aid Department, Malaysian Department of Insolvency, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), National Registration Department, Office of the Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia (PKPMP), and others.

"Our hope is that this will benefit all groups, and this platform is seen as a facilitator for all agencies and departments to engage with the public more deeply,” he said.

 -- BERNAMA