By NNN-Bernama
Kuantan : Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called for a review of the Child Act 2001 to ensure fairness in imposing penalty on juvenile criminals.
Alluding to the Court of Appeal's decision on Wednesday to free a teenager who was detained in prison at the pleasure of the King for the murder of his tuition teacher's daughter five years ago, the prime minister said the Act should be amended to address any shortcomings.
"I read the news when I was overseas and I think that the Act should be reviewed to ensure justice in the implementation of the law and the imposition of penalty," he told reporters here today.
The freed teenager, who turns 18 next month, had to be set free as there was no law that prescribed a sentence for a child convicted of murder.
In 2003, the High Court found the boy guilty of murdering the 11-year-old girl at her house in Kuala Lumpur by stabbing her 20 times and slashing her four times with a sharp object on May 30, 2002.
The boy was 12 when he killed the girl. He spent five years at the Kajang Prison before his release.
The prosecution has filed an appeal in the Federal Court against the boy's release.
Abdullah said he would ask the Attorney-General's Department to look into the matter.
"We have to study the Act, bring it to parliament, and this will take a bit of time. It's important to review the law and introduce the necessary changes," he added.