KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — A proposal to establish a special department to protect children against crime and abuse will once again be presented to the Cabinet on Friday (February 24) by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The proposal was previously rejected by the Cabinet as it involved a huge allocation.
"Before the re-tabling of Budget 2023 on Friday, I will once again present this proposal and we will continue to press for the creation of this department," she said at a press conference after visiting the Children’s Interview Centres (CIC) here today.
Nancy added the proposal would be more holistic and hopes it can be given due consideration.
Touching on her visit, the minister said she discovered the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) were in dire need of the latest equipment as well as additional staff to deal with crimes under the Criminal Investigation Department’s Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11).
“We found that D11 needs the latest high-tech computer equipment in addition to an updated system involving large and sophisticated data storage to deal with cases, including pornographic crimes," she said.
Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan said the police plan to increase the number of CICs from its current 14 centres nationwide.
"We want to add two centres each in Sarawak and Sabah, and one in Pahang due to its large demographics,” he said.
The CIC was established in 2002 as a centre under D11 to take statements from children who are victims of criminal cases such as rape and abuse.
— Bernama
