Timely to improve legal aid services: Sharifah Hasidah

KUCHING: Sarawak welcomes the federal government’s intention to focus on improving legal aid services, especially in East Malaysia, starting next year.

Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said it is a very good and timely effort to assist and improve legal aid services to those in need in Sarawak.

“This is the kind of legal reform that we need – where legal aid and advisory services should be easily accessible to everyone, including the B40 group.

“There are many people who need such services – it is high time to upgrade and strengthen the legal aid bureau to ensure an effective system in providing legal aid services for every Malaysian,” she said.

Sharifah Hasidah said this was in fact the responsibility of the federal government under the legal aid bureau; to work with the courts to facilitate and assist those in need of legal consultations, representations and other related services.

She was commenting on Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said’s recent statement that improving legal aid services, especially in East Malaysia, was among Putrajaya’s three main focuses next year.

She said while there were mobile courts in Sabah and Sarawak, there was no mobile legal aid.

“So what’s the use of that (mobile courts) if they don’t have the opportunity to exercise their rights under the law and they don’t know who to consult,” she said.

Therefore, Azalina said the ministry would be organising more roadshows as well as the “Justice on Wheels” programme.