LETTER | The Children’s Commissioner (CC) expresses deep concern about recent media coverage of a 12-year-old boy driving a car and a 14-year-old girl posing as a doctor.
Both children were portrayed in disturbing ways, although they were not held fully accountable for their actions.
The boy’s crime was due to the negligence of his parents and police confirmed that the girl had previously been in psychiatric treatment but did not continue treatment.
Section 15(2) of the Child Act 2001 (Act 611) specifically prohibits the media from reporting or publishing images of children involved in litigation, under protection and rehabilitation, or outside control, at any stage of their case.
A contravention of this section constitutes an offence punishable under section 15(3) of Act 611 with a fine not exceeding RM10,000, with imprisonment not exceeding five years, or with both.
Malaysia has been a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1995 and is committed to ensuring that no child is subjected to degrading treatment, even when the child violates the law, as set out in Article 37 of the Convention.
The CC acknowledges that the police took measures to protect the identities of the two children; however, media reporting and publications were beyond the control of the police.
The CC urges the media to comply with Law 611 in all reports involving children. The media’s continued violations without appropriate warning are a serious problem.
Therefore, the CC calls for strict enforcement of Section 15 of Act 611 to prevent such incidents from recurring. The CC is willing to collaborate with the Malaysian Press Institute to provide legal literacy training to the media on children’s rights.
FARAH NINI DUSUKI is the Children’s Officer.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Malaysiakini.
