Statement of the Bar Council on Sentencing Juveniles dated 26.7.2001
Monday, 13 August 2001 12:00am
13 August 2001
The Editor New Straits Times 31, Jalan Riong 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Dear Sir,
Statement of the Bar Council on Sentencing Juveniles dated 26.7.2001
I refer to your front page headline report 'Reviewing Juvenile Law' dated 7 August 2001 and another report dated 8 August 2001 on page 11 in which I was quoted as saying that 'young offenders should be imprisoned in cases such as premeditated serious offences or where offenders showed no immaturity, ignorance or moral compunction'.
It appears from the above extract of my statement in its rephrased form that the Bar Council unhesitatingly endorses imprisonment for young offenders.
On behalf of the Council, I wish to place on record that the Council only advocates imprisonment for young offenders in restricted cases. While the cases mentioned in your report fall into the category of 'restricted cases', the fact of them being restricted cases as such should be expressly emphasised. Note from the rest of my statement that the inducement to deter youths from criminal ways towards honest living can take different forms instead of imprisonment. In other words, imprisonment should only be used as a last resort.
May I suggest that a clarification to the above effect be made in your next publication in order to avoid any misunderstanding by the public as to the Council's position.
Your kind assistance will be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Mah Weng Kwai Chairman Bar Council.
Editorial note: The clarification as requested above was reported accordingly in The New Straits Times, 15 August 2001.
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