Yesterday, the newly-amended Child Act was passed in Parliament, abolishing whipping and enforcing community service for child offenders.

WAO Advocacy Officer Lainey Lau told FMT that community service for child offenders could be a good form of rehabilitation, but only if certain conditions were met.

“It has to be explained well through counselling and it has to be managed well. It has to be pointed out that community work needs to be done in the children’s hometowns so that it is easy for them to get there, and that so they could live with their parents while serving the community,” Lau said.

Meanwhile, global rights group Amnesty International shared WAO’s sentiments on whipping, describing the punishment as “degrading and cruel.”

“We hope that other laws which carry this form of medieval penalty will also be removed,” Amnesty International Executive Director Shamini Darshni told FMT.

The amended Child Act that was passed in Parliament focused on abolishing whipping and enforcing community service for child offenders and improving child protection through the National Council for Children and Child Welfare Teams.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Azizah Mohd Dun said the Bill was in the best interests of children.

The new amendments will see stricter penalties under Section 31 with the jail term doubled to a maximum of 20 years and the fine increased to RM50,000 from RM20,000 for child abuse and neglect cases.