Day: December 11, 2017

Every state to get court for child sexual abuse cases by end-2018

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Source: Malay Mail Online

Reuters

Judges presiding over the courts will be given special training on how to handle child sex crimes, chief registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia said today. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — Special courts to hear sexual crimes against children will be set up in every state by the end of next year, chief registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia said today.

According to a report in The Star Online, Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar said the decision to establish 12 branches of the Special Criminal Court on sexual crimes against children was partly in response to the rise in the number of charges filed at the first special court in Putrajaya since it started operations six months ago.

Judges with 15 years’ experience and well-versed in criminal law have been identified to be assigned to preside over the courts, she added.  Read more →

DAP slams Najib’s silence on human rights

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Source: Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: A DAP MP today questioned Prime Minister Najib Razak’s silence on International Human Rights Day, accusing his administration of locking up those who defend human rights instead.

Contrasting Najib’s silence on the matter with his strong words during the recent Umno general assembly, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto asked why Najib had not been as vocal on strengthening fundamental liberties in the country.

“Instead, his administration is progressively locking up defenders of human rights.

“Prime Minister Najib Razak’s absent International Human Rights Day message on Dec 10 is a clear indication that threats against fundamental civil liberties and human rights in Malaysia will continue to escalate by the 14th general election (GE14),” she said in a statement. Read more →

It’s the ones kids trusted that turn out to be guilty ones

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Source: The Star

PUTRAJAYA: They are people trusted by the children.

But sadly, parents, lecturers, a tennis coach and even a pastor and an imam are part of the list of alleged offenders brought to the Special Criminal Court on sexual crimes against children so far.

The latest additions are foreigners who have been charged with various sexual offences against children here, said Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar.

“As of last month, 15 foreigners were charged in court. All the accused are not related to the victims,” she said in an interview.

The youngest offender to be charged in court was slightly over 18 years old.

“The oldest was 77,” Latifah said, adding that the victims were aged between one and 17.

A total of 352 cases have been registered since the court began proceedings on June 22 until Nov 30. Read more →

Explain grounds for probe into news portal, MCMC urged

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Source: The Star

PETALING JAYA: Groups representing journalists are troubled over the announcement that authorities are probing an online news portal for alleged “insults” against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

In a joint statement, Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm), Wan-IFRA Media Freedom Committee (Malaysia) and Institute Journalists Malaysia (IoJM) said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) must explain their grounds for investigating The Malaysian Insight.

“The claims of ‘insult’ against Najib, which have been repeated over two days during the Umno general assembly, have not been backed up by any example or proof whatsoever,” they added. Read more →