BANGI: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said will be tabling several improvements to the Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017 in the Cabinet meeting next week.
She said among the improvements to be presented before the Cabinet were victim's compensation, having watching brief lawyers, to establish an independent national commission for children, and to include the Special Criminal Court, which starts operating in June, in the legislation.
"If the Cabinet agrees, then we will have to make amendments to the (soon to be) Act in the next session Dewan Rakyat in July."
Azalina, who is also Pengerang member of Parliament, said in some countries, the laws would require the perpetrators to pay to their victims' medical or counselling needed after they were assaulted.
"We have to consider this but to do this we have to amend the Act.
"We also do not want the Special Court to only exist for administrative purposes, it must also be part of the Act to avoid cases relating to the new law to be heard and tried in Criminal Courts," she added.