Govt supports push for restorative justice — CM
KOTA KINABALU: The State Government is determined to support the Council for Restorative Justice Sabah (CRJS) in its effort to advocate restorative justice as a means to curb overcrowding in Sabah prisons.
“I fully understand and appreciate the concern over the overcrowding situation in our prisons and I do believe that restorative justice is a step towards reducing overcrowding in prisons and saving taxpayers' money,” said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal.
“It will also simultaneously encourage community service to be meted out for the deserving lesser crime offenders, who could bring more economic returns to employers by working for them instead of spending time in prison,” he added.
As such, Shafie said the State Government is always willing and ready to enhance and complement the works of CRJS.
“Our criminal justice system is a mechanism established to address the problems of criminality.
“It defines crime, treats the harm done and provides for their punishment.
“Whereas restorative justice is an alternative dispensation made possible between persons affected by the impact of crime through their consent to meet together voluntarily and actively to participate in the resolution of their differences,” Shafie said in his speech read by Assistant Law and Native Affairs Minister, Jannie Lasimbang, at the opening of CRJS talk entitled ‘Restorative Justice – An Alternative To Imprisonment' yesterday.
In order to reduce the burden of the courts here in Sabah, Shafie pointed out that mediation through restorative justice to settle disputes is encouraged here as an alternative for resolving disputes that have been filed.
Meanwhile, Jannie added that she, in her capacity as the Kepayan assemblywoman, would look into the overcrowding issues currently faced by the Kepayan Prisons.
“As the assemblywoman for Kepayan, the Kepayan prisons actually falls under me. I have visited the place together with CRJS. I was called several times on issues relating to the overcrowding of the (Kepayan) prisons. So I, myself, in my own personal interest, would also want restorative justice to be examined there,” said Jannie.
“Also, under the Law and Native Affairs Ministry, it is very much my desire (to address the overcrowding issue). I will do my best to support,” she assured.
Jannie added that her ministry would also be looking closely on the issue of native courts and called on the indigenous communities to look into such issue by bringing out their ideas.
“Many indigenous communities are involved in petty crimes – issues that they have not fully understood themselves,” she noted.
“I know that in other countries, many indigenous people have been punished for crimes more because it relates to poverty or issues regarding native land and so on,” she added.
Among those present at the event were the Sabah High Court judge Datuk Nurchaya Arshad, State Attorney-General, Datuk Zaleha Rose Pandin, and CRJS president, Dr K H Tan.