PUTRAJAYA: The government and the judiciary launched a set of guidelines for the handling of child sexual offence cases.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, stated that the guidelines represent a technical improvement and a comprehensive, justice-focused approach that was trauma-informed.
“All aspects have been reviewed to ensure practices are aligned with current challenges, the increase in new cases, and recent legal developments,” she said, speaking at the launch of the special guidelines for handling child sexual offence cases at the Palace of Justice on Friday (Oct 24).
She added that the initiative reflects Malaysia’s commitment under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which upholds every child’s right to protection from abuse and exploitation.
Azalina said that on March 3, the government enacted the Evidence of Child Witness Act (Amendment) 2024, along with several other laws, to ensure consistency within the legal system and to reinforce protections for child witnesses.
She said the guidelines focus on four key components: ethical early reporting and investigation to minimise trauma for victims; child-friendly court procedures, including the use of video recordings and live links; the appointment of witness supporters or legal companions to assist victims; and continuous psychosocial support and post-trial rehabilitation.
Azalina added that the guidelines also include training for all relevant stakeholders, including investigating officers, prosecutors, judges, welfare officers, and healthcare professionals, to ensure implementation is fully aligned with the principles of child protection.
She noted that while the guidelines are not yet legally binding, they provide a vital framework for coordinating efforts across agencies and lay the groundwork for their potential gazettement as mandatory procedures in the future.
Meanwhile, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, in her speech, emphasised that the judiciary recognises the importance of establishing comprehensive guidelines to ensure every case involving children is handled with utmost sensitivity, consistency, and effectiveness.
She added that the guidelines are intended to ensure the justice process does not exacerbate the burden or trauma on victims, but rather creates pathways for their recovery and protection.
“In recent years, sexual offences against children have increasingly attracted public attention and raised serious concern. Statistics indicate a notable rise in cases brought to court, including molestation, rape and online sexual exploitation,” she said.
She added that the implementation of the guidelines is expected to bolster public confidence in the commitment of all parties to protect and uphold the well-being of children.
Meanwhile, Azalina stated that authorities are stepping up monitoring of the e-wallet ecosystem to identify suspicious transactions associated with the distribution of illicit content.
She was commenting on the recent disclosure by Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail regarding Ops Pedo, in which a 17-year-old student was found to have earned RM76,000 over nine months from the online sale of child exploitation materials.
Mohd Khalid revealed that the teenager ran a Telegram group selling content sourced from Tumblr for up to RM50 per video, receiving payments via e-wallets and QR code-based bank transfers.
She noted that while the current justice system provides courts and guidelines to address such cases, she emphasised that prevention must start at home.
“I am unsure of the circumstances, but I am shocked that a child was involved,” she said. – Bernama
