Special Parliamentary Select Committee on Women, Children and Social Development chairman Azalina Othman Said said they were seeking a meeting with the chief justice on the matter.

“Several of the special parliamentary select committee members and I intend to call on the CJ to discuss and find ways to resolve the issues raised,” the Pengerang MP said in a statement today.

She said the MPs also want an increase in the number of judicial officers handling sexual crime cases against children, enhanced capacity building and better cooperation among the various agencies.

During the recent parliamentary debate on the 12th Malaysia Plan, Azalina had slammed Putrajaya for dragging its feet over the setting up of these special courts.

She said that when she was the minister in the prime minister’s department before GE14, she had been in charge of the issue and the then government had agreed to establish such courts in every state.

Azalina also disclosed that the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) had agreed to prepare a research paper in two weeks to detail the mechanisms behind the formation of an independent child commission.

On domestic violence, Azalina said she had been informed by the women, family and community development ministry that three working committees had been formed to deal with the issue.

The committees are looking into advocacy, capacity development as well as protection and data, she added.