KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet has approved the Child Sexual Offences Bill 2017 for its first reading in Parliament next week.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the approval had been given today.
“The bill includes provisions related to specific sex offences against children and their punishments in addition to sex offences against children that are already listed in current laws.
“This bill is important to address the seriousness of sex crimes offences that are committed on children in Malaysia. It also intends to raise the level of protection children have from sex offenders as well as to safeguard their welfare,” said Azalina.
She had earlier thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for paving the way for the drafting of the bill by creating a task force, among others, to address the issue of sex offences committed against children.
Azalina further said the seminar, Sex Crimes on Children, which was organised by Permata (a division under the Prime Minister’s Department) last week, had also succeeded in opening the eyes of many parties on the necessity of such an act to provide children a healthy and safe environment.