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©The Star (Used by permission)

KUALA LUMPUR: De facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim may soon become a full Law Minister with all the requisite authority and responsibility to help him effect legal reform.

“When we talk about reform, people think about the Judicial Appointments Commission only but it is more than that; there is a whole gamut of things that need to be done as well.

“It is for this reason I have informed the Prime Minister and the Cabinet has agreed that there are reforms we need to take,” said Zaid.

“In fact, my own position will be reviewed to Minister of Law to give me more authority but that will take time. You can’t have responsibility without authority.”

He said this yesterday during a press conference after he officiated at Suhakam’s Human Rights Day public forum themed “Human Rights and Administration of Juvenile Justice” at a hotel here.

“When you want to effect change you need to coordinate and re-organise. For example, if you want magistrates to be re-trained today I can’t do much about it. I will have to go to the Judicial and Legal Commission.

“If I want to do anything involving children, I have to talk to the Women and Family Development Minister.

“The difference between the past and now is that hopefully I will have more opportunity to bring about change.”

Referring to a former President of the Court of Appeal who had referred to the minister with his portfolio in 2000 as being “in charge of table and chairs,” Zaid added:

“If I can’t do something I will say so. I hope with more refined authority, with an elevated position, a clearly defined portfolio and authority perhaps will help overcome some of the problems encountered.”

In his welcome address, Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman said it was essential that action plans for juvenile justice focus on ways to reduce violence within the juvenile justice system and children at large.

Listing seven areas for reform, he said children needed to be treated with humanity and that institutionalisation should be the last resort for child offenders.

Prof Sedfey M Candelaria, in his keynote address, said the Philippines juvenile justice model – which referred to juvenile delinquents/ youthful offenders as children in conflict with the law” and promotes restorative justice options – allows for diversions at all levels from the normal justice system.

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