KUALA LUMPUR – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, has issued a reminder to the public not to publish any images of children involved in criminal proceedings.
In a post on her official Facebook page, Azalina said that such actions violate subsection 15(2) of the Child Act 2001, which could lead to criminal charges.
“Referring to the recent cases involving children in criminal proceedings, I would like to remind the public of subsection 15(2) of the Child Act 2001 which prohibits the publication of any photographs of children involved in criminal proceedings in the media.
“Violation of this provision may result in criminal charges. We need to put our trust in the law and due process when dealing with cases involving children,” she said.
She was referring to a case involving a 12-year-old child who was charged at the magistrate’s court, Sepang, on Monday for driving without a licence.
The case gained a lot of attention when a one-minute-49-second video showing a woman restraining a Perodua Viva car driven by a teenage boy with two children inside went viral last month.
On Monday, the media reported that the boy pleaded not guilty to the charge of driving a Perodua Viva car at Taman Putra Impiana, Puchong, Selangor, at 7.30pm, July 28.
The charge is under Section 39 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 and can be punished under Section 39 (5) of the Transport Act 1987, which provides for a fine not exceeding RM2,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both, if convicted.
Magistrate Muhammad Bukhori Md Ruslan set a bail of RM500 and September 4 as the date of mention of the case. – August 10, 2024