KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — The government is drafting a special Act to enable the establishment of a fully independent Children’s Commissioner’s Office which will act as a watchdog on various issues affecting children in Malaysia.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said it was vital to further empower the Children’s Commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki and her office, that now operates under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
She said that the office should be independent to effectively and aggressively oversee, not just the criminal laws regarding children, but also in all aspects of their well-being such as education and health.
“Suhakam has limitation and focus more on human rights but the expertise of a commissioner is like a watchdog that covers more than just human rights. That is why we need an Act to support the child commissioner.
“Right now it is complicated in terms of operation, expenditure and powers are under Suhakam,” she said during a press conference at her office in the Parliament building today.
Azalina said the special Act which is expected to be tabled within this year, will authorise the commissioner to monitor, evaluate, give opinions and assist the government to ensure children’s rights are upheld and their welfare well taken care of.
Meanwhile, Farah Nini said as a Children’s Commissioner, it was her dream and ambition to make people understand that children’s rights are special and their evolving capacities require special treatment.
“Child participation is often neglected…I want to change that. Our decision should be more child-centric so that what we do is in their best interest and not for just our convenience,” she said.
Farah Nini, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya was appointed as the Children’s Commissioner to Suhakam for a three-year term effective March 8.
