Implement amendment to Children Act in Sept 2017 - Ministry

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) hopes the Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 can be fully implemented in September 2017.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the ministry hoped the bill could be tabled in Dewan Negara, scheduled to sit on April 18 to May 4, so that it could be implemented as quickly as possible for a holistic protection of children.

"The amendment bill actually provides protection and respect for children. Among others, if they break the law, they cannot be handcuffed and children's cells must be separate from those of adults," she said.

Rohani said this at a media conference after a ceremony to hand over the government's contributions to the next-of-kin of Malaysian passengers and crew who perished in the Malaysian Airlines MH17 aircraft tragedy, here on Saturday.

She said the ministry would also issue a guideline and regulation so that the implementation of the bill would proceed smoothly.

In the meantime, she said the ministry would seek the cooperation of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to curb the publications of clear photographs of children who flouted the law.

"Their faces should be blurred, we (ministry) don't want them to be seen by the public, this is their right," she said.

Meanwhile, when asked on the nomination of women in the 11th Sarawak state general election, Rohani, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) women vice chief, said the movement was thankful because, to date, Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem had named five women candidates who would represent Barisan Nasional (BN) in their respective areas.

They comprised four incumbents, namely, Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali for the Samariang state seat; Simoi Peri (Lingga); Datuk Fatimah Abdullah (Dalat); and Rosey Yunus (Bekenu); while new candidate Datuk Janet Lau will contest in Pelawan.

Rohani said she hoped women candidates would be contesting for three more seats which had yet to be announced by Adenan, namely, Tasik Biru, Meradong and Marudi.

"Definitely, our hopes are high but it is up to the wisdom of the Chief Minister to pick a winnable candidate. We don't pressure him. We will still fully support all BN candidates," she said.