Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the fine-tuned version would take into account the challenges faced by agencies in dealing with such crimes.

“The new guidelines will include the special measures introduced under the Sexual Offences Against Children (Amendment) Bill 2023, the Evidence of Child Witness (Amendment) Act 2023, and several other amendments that will be tabled at the next parliamentary session,” she told reporters after visiting a child interview centre at Bukit Aman today.

Azalina said the legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department will work with the Federal Court chief registrar’s office to update the guidelines.

She also said a draft bill on the setting up of an independent children’s commission will be presented in Parliament in October.