Gov't Targets One-year Resolution For Child-related Cases With New SOP - Azalina

KOTA TINGGI, Oct 18 -- The government will introduce a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure that all court cases involving minors are resolved within a year, said Minister in Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

Azalina said the guidelines will be launched on Oct 24 at the Palace of Justice, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the judicial system for children.

She said the measure is also intended to address court delays, which can cause child witnesses to be reluctant to testify again once they reach adulthood.

“We want all cases involving children, whether they are the accused or the victim, to be resolved within one year. 

“Our focus is clear: cases involving child perpetrators or victims must be prioritised. This is a principle that the Chief Justice and the Chief Judge of Malaya have agreed upon,” she told reporters after the handover ceremony for the new Pengerang Court today.

She added that the government has already adopted several measures to expedite cases involving minors, such as specialist evidence-taking vans to simplify recording testimony from underage witnesses.

Meanwhile, she said the proposed smartphone ban for students aged 16 and under, as recommended by the Cabinet yesterday, should be viewed in tandem with enforcing existing legal instruments designed to protect the safety and welfare of children.

Azalina said the issue of smartphone use among students requires careful study, taking into account practices in other nations that have set age limits between 13 and 16 years old.

"I believe the Cabinet ministers have discussed the matter, and the Communications Minister, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, has also stated that it is still under discussion with social media platforms.

“More importantly, we already have the Online Safety Act, which was developed with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU).

“This Act will facilitate enforcement and the monitoring of social media platforms as directed by the government," she said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the measure was being considered due to concerns about addiction and the potential for criminal behaviour resulting from excessive exposure to digital content.

In a related development, the Pengerang Court, costing approximately RM17 million, is scheduled to begin operations on Nov 1.

The construction of the project commenced in May 2022 and was completed in August. 

-- BERNAMA