The Parliamentary Select Committee on Women, Children and Social Development had heard a presentation from the office of Federal Court chief registrar on expanding the special court on sexual crimes against children.
Its chairperson, Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said, said the matter was raised during a meeting on Sept 30.
“I as committee chairperson and several other PSC members will request for an official meeting with the chief justice to discuss and find a solution to the matters raised.
“This includes increasing the number of judicial officers in grade Jusa C for special appointments as special court judges, capacity building and strengthening inter-agency cooperation to expedite resolution of cases,” she said in a statement today.
Azalina, who had also raised the matter in her speech to debate the 12th Malaysia Plan on Wednesday, noted a pressing need for more special courts with increasing cases against children recorded in almost all states.
The Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 was passed in Parliament when Azalina was the de facto law minister and then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had reportedly launched the first special court in Putrajaya later the same year.
It was reported at the time that three states with the highest rates of sexual crimes against children - Selangor, Sarawak and Johor - was identified as the next locations to set up the special courts, followed by other states.
Meanwhile, she said the PSC had also given the National Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) two weeks to prepare a research paper with detailed mechanisms on establishing an Independent Children’s Commission.
“The committee has agreed to give two weeks for this matter to be finalised before being raised again at its following meeting,” said Azalina.
Azalina further said the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry had presented on the Domestic Violence Committee with three sub-committees formed on advocacy, capacity building, as well as data and protection.
She said the committees were formed to refine actions that can be taken and mechanisms to implement related policies on the handling of domestic violence cases.
She added that the PSC at its next meeting will also be summoning related NGOs to be a part of the discussion.
'Special adviser on law and human rights'
On a separate matter, Azalina also took to Facebook to confirm her recent appointment as special adviser (law and human rights) to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“Thank you for the trust. Insya Allah with the strength that I have I will do the best for the country,” said the former deputy speaker who shared a report by online portal Free Malaysia Today on her recent appointment.
Azalina quit her deputy speaker’s post on Aug 23, a week after the resignation of former premier Muhyiddin Yassin, amid then speculations that she would be appointed as a cabinet minister by Ismail Sabri.
Azalina at the time cited several reasons for her resignation, including conflict of roles and responsibilities between being an Umno Supreme Council member and an MP in a ruling coalition. - Mkini
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