Judge Kamaludin Md Said said these offenders could “graduate” to become hardcore criminals after mixing with adult prisoners.

“Have correctional centres like in the US. The government must think along this line,” the judge said when hearing an appeal against a sentence by an offender who committed two counts of gang and armed robbery in his 20s four years ago.

Deputy public prosecutor Ng Siew Wee said she would refer the proposal to the drafting division in the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

At present, child offenders who are 18 years and below could be sent to reform schools like the Henry Gurney School in Melaka, and remain there until they turn 21.

Youthful offenders – those aged 18 to 21 – are sent to jail to serve their sentence but are not separated from adult prisoners.

Kamaludin, who sat with Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Hashim Hamzah, later dismissed the appeal by Che Ezzlan Syafiq Che Azarudien, now 24.

They affirmed a 10-year jail term imposed by the sessions court for gang robbery and another seven years for armed robbery.

“There are no reasons for us to disturb the findings of the trial judge and the High Court,” Kamaludin said.

The trial judge on April 2, 2019 also ordered the accused to be given one stroke of the rotan for each offence.

The offences were to run consecutively, meaning Ezzlan will serve a total of 17 years in jail.

Ezzlan committed gang robbery with another person still at large at a 24-hour convenience store at Pekan Taming Jaya in Balakong, Selangor, at about 5am on June 10, 2018.

The accused, who was armed with an axe, robbed a worker of RM193 and several cigarette packets.

While out on bail for the first offence, Ezzlan committed armed robbery at another convenience store in Bangi at about 6am on Aug 12, 2018.

He used a knife to threaten an employee before escaping with RM300, several packets of cigarettes and a mobile phone.