Children's Commissioner appointed to Suhakam

PUTRAJAYA: A Children's Commissioner has been appointed to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) as part of efforts to tackle child abuse and other social problems affecting children, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The prime minister said this appointment was made under an "autonomous" branch of Suhakam.

"We have decided, meaning it has to be made immediately. The (commissioner's) name was mentioned but I asked the minister concerned or Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said to give the details," he said at a press conference after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting here today.

The Minister's Office of the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) had said earlier that the government was committed to establishing a Children's Commission as an independent body to monitor and protect the rights of children in Malaysia.

However, the views of various stakeholders had to be considered and an act formulated first before the commission could be established.

As a short-term solution, the government planned to create the office of the Children's Commissioner under Suhakam, according to a statement from the Minister's Office.

Anwar also said he had asked Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to chair a social committee to study problems involving children and issues which come under the jurisdiction of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

Meanwhile, Anwar said he suggested that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) participate in The Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) in an effort to strengthen the enforcement agency.

"We want to enhance the role of MACC. So we have proposed that they get involved in GloBE Network as the exposure can help to strengthen their work," he added.

-- BERNAMA