THE government is mulling the prospect of establishing a sentencing council, aimed at promoting greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, as a way to reform the criminal justice system, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.

A sentencing council, the minister said, would be an independent public body similar to that in the United Kingdom, he said.

“This is to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, while maintaining the independence of the judiciary,” he said in Kuala Lumpur today.

Wan Junaidi said another issue on the table is prison reform, where the government is looking to ensure that punishment meted out is based on the concept of restorative justice.

“This is to ensure that the rights of all parties are protected and guaranteed, thus improving the dynamics of the Malaysian criminal justice system,” he said.

He added that the administration of criminal justice can be a challenging process.

“Moreover, it requires delicate balancing of the rights of individuals on one hand and the protection of society on the other. As members of the law, it is paramount for us to take necessary action to deliver justice and defuse threats of crime as they emerge.

“You cannot do so without first understanding the history as well as the current state of the nation’s criminal law,” he said.

The minister said, lack of knowledge on the applicable laws and procedures also hampers the legal process. – Bernama, October 6, 2022.