PUTRAJAYA: The government has completed a comprehensive study on the current legal aid service regime and is finalising the relevant policies to introduce new legislation to replace the existing Legal Aid Act 1971 [Act 26].
The Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) of the Prime Minister's Department, in a statement today (March 5), said the new law aims to encompass legal aid assistance for both civil and criminal matters, including the service of public defenders in the efforts to ensure that access to justice is not denied to any persons.
In the same spirit, BHEUU said the government is continuing its efforts to promote the "Justice on Wheels" programme, launched on Jan 25 which utilises digitalisation and mobile vehicles to provide legal services to rural communities, including those in Felda areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
Meanwhile, in light of fast-paced technological developments such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data breaches by network and platform providers, the government is currently drafting a Digital Safety Act (DSA) to provide for procedures relating to the prevention of cybercrimes.
This includes the prevention of the spread of child abuse material, online scamming and terrorism, to regulate the safe use of network facilities, network services, application services and content application services in Malaysia, the statement read.
The statement was released in conjunction with the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said's visit to Zanzibar, Tanzania, from March 4 to 8 to attend the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting (CLMM 2024).
The meeting is themed "Technology and Innovation: How Digitalisation Paves the Way for the Development of People-Centred Access to Justice", drawing from the Commonwealth Member States' collective commitment towards achieving the ideals of the Commonwealth's Declaration on Access to Justice and Plan of Action, which champions equal access to justice for all.
The outcome of CLMM 2024 will be deliberated upon during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024 (CHOGM) which is scheduled to take place in Samoa.
In line with CLMM 2024's theme, BHEEU said the Madani government recognises that, as provided for under Article 8 of the Federal Constitution, all persons are entitled to equal protection of the law and it is high time that technological advancements are mobilised to advance this notion.
"Efforts have also been undertaken by the government especially concerning online sexual exploitation and abuse to safeguard children through amendments made to the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 [Act 792] last year to introduce new provisions to address the escalating threats of child sexual extortion and live-streamed abuse, which transcend borders and demand cross-border cooperation," it said. — Bernama