She said the government would table a bill in the Dewan Rakyat to amend the Sexual Offences Against Children (SOAC) Act 2017 and the Evidence of Child Witness Act 2007 on March 27.

The bill aims, among others, to criminalise the act of “directly participating, organising, promoting, directing the abuse, or receiving money” in connection with the livestreaming of sexual acts involving minors.

“The proposed punishment for the offence is 20 years’ imprisonment or a fine of RM50,000,” she said at a press conference here today.

She said persons involved in sexual extortion of children would also be liable under the law. The proposed punishment will be 10 years’ imprisonment.

Azalina said the term “child pornography” in the SOAC Act would be amended to “child sexual abuse materials” in order to widen the definition.

Other proposed amendments to the law include enacting provisions that allow extraction of evidence from children from the first point of contact, such as the police station and hospital, to prevent them testifying multiple times.

The legal reforms will include provisions on child-friendly special hearings such as empowering the judge to control the line of questioning by counsel as well as the option of pre-recorded hearings so that the child would not need to attend trial.

The court would also be empowered to order perpetrators to pay victims compensation for costs associated with counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services.

Phase two of reforms to laws in relation to sexual crimes against children will include engagements with the Malaysian Bar on amendments to the Evidence Act 1950 involving the legal requirement for corroborative evidence.

The amendment to the Evidence Act is expected to be tabled at the next parliamentary session, in May or June.

Also present at the press conference were Suhakam children’s commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki, Unicef Malaysia chief of child protection Saskia Blume and Unicef child protection specialist S Selvi.