KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 – The government will carry out a comprehensive study regarding the drafting of the Public Defenders Act to enable those underprivileged to have access to proper legal aid services for criminal cases, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said it would include a comparative study of similar laws abroad as well as the parameters of its drafting.
“Law faculties of 10 public and private higher education institutes in Malaysia including Universiti Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia will be involved in this study.
"The government is committed to improving legal aid services involving criminal cases for the underprivileged," she said when replying to a question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu).
On the fate and role of the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) once the act is established, Azalina said it would depend on the findings of the study.
– Bernama
