Govt acts on child protection
These include amendments to the Sexual Offences Against Children Act, the expansion of special criminal courts and ongoing training for legal officers, said Thiyagu Ganesan, deputy director-general (Legal Reform Sector) of the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) under the Prime Minister's Department.
He said several key amendments were made to the Act in 2023, which include replacing the term 'child pornography' with 'child sexual abuse material', introducing new offences such as the livestreaming of sexual crimes and sexual extortion, and mandating compensation for victims.
'Additionally, the government has recently passed the Online Safety Act, which places the responsibility on digital platforms to remove child sexual abuse content.
'It also introduces the safety-by-design concept to ensure a safer online environment for children,' he said during an interview on Bernama TV's Apa Khabar Malaysia programme yesterday, as reported by Bernama.
To broaden access to justice for victims, Thiyagu noted that the number of Special Courts for Sexual Crimes Against Children has been increased to 81 nationwide, along with the introduction of child-friendly mobile courts.
'These mobile courts are equipped with a child witness room and will travel to where the child is located, eliminating the need for the child to travel to a physical courtroom, which may be distressing,' he said.
Thiyagu also underscored the importance of specialised training for prosecutors, judges and lawyers to improve the handling of child-related cases, in line with the 2023 legal reforms regulating the manner in which child witnesses are examined, cross-examined and re-examined in court.
He said the BHEUU is actively expanding awareness campaigns related to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act, which mandates all individuals to report suspected cases of child sexual crimes to the authorities.
Touching on the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Act, he said amendments in 2023 led to the creation of a full-time position for a chief children's commissioner, along with two children's commissioners and one additional commissioner, all dedicated to strengthening oversight of government policies related to child protection.
'Their role is to provide assistance, commentary and recommendations on government plans and policies, as well as to announce improvements.
'If issues arise, they will actively speak out to ensure continuous progress,' he added.
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