NEW COURT TO TACKLE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Specialised courts solve cases better than normal courts, says chief justice
THE chief justice says the first one will be set up in Klang by mid-year. The court is needed because of the drastic increase in trafficking cases.
BANGLADESHI, KNOWN ABANG BANGLA, ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING BLACKLISTED FOREIGNERS INTO MALAYSIA.
ASPECIAL court to handle human trafficking issues will be set up by mid-year, with the first one in Klang, Selangor. Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif said there was a need to establish a special court for human trafficking cases, to be presided by a Sessions Court judge, as statistics showed a drastic rise in such cases.
“It is crucial to have a specialised court to deal with human trafficking cases because based on our experience, specialised courts do better (in solving a case) than normal courts.
“Sometimes, witnesses are in custody, and we have to deal with that as soon as possible.
“We must have a pilot project and learn from it before establishing (the court) in phases,” he said after opening the Judicial Year 2018 here yesterday.
He said the pilot project was expected to begin in May or June. There are plans to establish the court in stages in other areas, such as in Ipoh, Melaka, Muar, Kota Kinabalu and Balik Pulau.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the establishment of a special court to deal with human trafficking issues was the result of negotiations with former chief justice Tun Arifin Zakaria.
“We are aware of their (the courts’) limitations and we have come up with the commitment to specifically hear and decide on human trafficking cases.
“This will help clear many cases of human trafficking and those arrested under the Immigration Act.”
In expressing support for the move, Malaysian Bar Council president George Varghese said the setting up of a special court to deal with human trafficking cases was timely.
“Human trafficking is a serious issue in Malaysia that needs to be addressed on all fronts. The council is supportive of this initiative and, if required, is ready to lend all assistance in this matter.
“The government must without delay bring all those responsible for the heinous acts to task with recent revelations in the New Straits Times’ report regarding the discovery of evidence of ‘a massive, coordinated cover up’ of the mass graves and death camps in Wang Kelian, Perlis.”
He said no member of the security forces or authorities had been charged over the case.
Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the move showed the government’s commitment to tackling human trafficking.
“At the moment, if we go through the normal court, it takes some time to clear all these cases, so it is important to ensure that justice will not be delayed.
“There are too many cases occurring in the country, and with the fact that there have been a number of arrests by the authorities, especially Immigration, shows how important it is for us to look more deeply into the matter.”