SEREMBAN: The setting up of mobile courts to hear sexual-related offences involving children should be considered to ensure all such cases are heard and disposed of quickly, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of law and institutional reforms said although 72.6% of the 6,791 such cases against children have been brought to court, there was a pressing need to ensure all such cases were eventually heard and disposed of by the judiciary.
"It is sad when you hear that some cases are not continued as the victim, in this case, the child, decides not to pursue it due to reasons such as trauma, having to come to court and the distance involved.
"All such cases must be brought and decided by the courts as the government needs to send out a message out that it would not tolerate such offences against children and that offenders will be promptly dealt with," she said after a visit to the Seremban Court Complex here on Monday (July 31).
She said when the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 was formulated, the authorities had hoped that all such cases would be heard and disposed of within 12 months.
Azalina said another way to ensure all such cases are brought to justice was to have special cyber courts in all states as grooming was usually done online.
At present, only Kuala Lumpur has a cyber court to deal with such cases.
"This also needs to be studied as the grooming element is done online.
"There has to be a more effective approach (to deal with the offenders) as justice delayed is often seen as justice denied," she said.
Azalina said when the Sexual Offences Against Children law was introduced, it was also decided that such cases would be heard by Sessions Court judges who specialised in the topic.
"I am however told that this has not been happening due to a judge shortage and that Sessions Court judges have to hear all types of cases brought before them.
"So, this issue and other challenges faced by the courts need to be addressed as well so we can effectively safeguard the rights of the child," she said.
Azalina said for a start, the government would upgrade and equip 40 Sessions Courts nationwide with related facilities to hear such cases.
She said a sum of RM5mil has been approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for this in Budget 2023.
"We must provide a conducive and safe environment such as special rooms and other facilities to ensure the victim is comfortable and we can proceed with the case," she said.
She expressed hope that these issues and challenges would be dealt with once the Office of the Child Commissioner (OCC) was set up.
A Bill for the setting up of the OCC was set to be tabled in Parliament in October.
"The Cabinet paper on the setting up of the independent OCC is ready.
"I will take it to Cabinet to get the approval and then table it in Parliament so that all matters related to children can be streamlined," she said, adding that at present, several ministries and government agencies were involved when it came to such matters.
She said it was important to have an independent OCC which will not only complement ministries and government agencies but assist them with coming up with the best practices for children.
"It will look at the overall standards and policies when it comes to children which include children under detention, proper procedures when they come to court, assisting them and compensation for victims of abuse," she said, adding that the OCC would not be a government agency.
She said the setting up of the OCC was also important as it would be looking into the well-being of some 9.5mil children nationwide.
