How evidence of child witness may be given
(1) A child witness may, at any stage of a trial, give evidence in any one or a combination of the following manner: (a) by having a screen between him and the accused or a child charged with any offence; (b) by live link; or (c) by video recording. (2) For the purposes of this section, any evidence given under subsection (1) shall be deemed to be evidence given in an open Court.
Screening
(1) A child witness, while giving evidence in the Court, may be prevented by means of a screen or other arrangement from seeing and being seen by the accused or a child charged with any offence. (2) The screen or other arrangement shall not prevent the child witness from being able to see, and to be seen by— (a) the Court; (b) the prosecutor; (c) the advocate for the accused or the child charged with any offence; and (d) the interpreter. (3) Where two or more advocates are acting for the accused or the child charged with any offence, the requirement of paragraph (2)(c) is satisfied if the child witness is able at all material times to see and be seen by at least one of them.
Evidence by live link
(1) Where a child witness gives evidence by means of a live link from a location other than the courtroom, that location is deemed to be part of the courtroom in which the proceeding is being held for the purposes of this section. (2) The Court may make an order specifying— (a) that a member of the Court staff be present at that location; (b) the interpreter for the proceedings; (c) any adult permitted by the Court to accompany the child witness; (d) the persons in the courtroom who must not be heard, or seen and heard, by the child witness and by the persons accompanying the child witness; (e) the persons in the courtroom who must be able to see and hear the child witness and the persons accompanying the child witness; (f) the method of operation of the live link system including compliance with such minimum technical standards as may be determined by the Chief Justice of the Federal Court; and (g) any other matter as the Court considers necessary in the interest of justice.
Video recording of a child witness
(1) Where a video recording of a child witness is given in evidence, such video recording shall be admitted as evidence of examination-in-chief of the child witness: Provided that the contents of the video recording shall be subject to the Evidence Act 1950 [Act 56]. (2) A video recording under subsection (1) shall not be admitted unless— (a) accompanied by a transcript of the original language used in the video recording; and (b) accompanied by a translation of the transcript, if the language used in the video recording is other than the national language. (3) A certificate by a person who did the video recording pursuant to subsection (1) shall, until the contrary is proven, be admitted as a prima facie evidence of the authenticity of the content of the video recording. (4) Where a video recording is admitted under this section, the child witness shall be called to be further examined-in-chief by the party who tendered the video recording in evidence on any matter which, in the opinion of such party, has not been dealt with adequately in the child witnesses recorded testimony. (5) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act, where a child witness is called to be further examined-in-chief under subsection (4), he may give evidence by means of having a screen between him and the accused or child charged with any offence or by means of a live link. (6) Where a video recording is given in evidence under this section, any statement made by the child witness which is disclosed in the recording shall be treated as if given by that child witness in direct oral evidence. (7) In the case of a child witness who has been sworn, the Court shall admit the statement made by the child witness in the video recording as sworn evidence. (8) In the case of evidence of a child witness of tender years, the Court, when considering the statement in the video recording as evidence shall assess and form an opinion as to whether the child witness possesses sufficient intelligence and understands the duty of speaking the truth, though not given upon oath.
Previous video recording of a child witness may be proved
When a child witness attains the age of sixteen years before giving evidence in the Court, any previous video recording of evidence given by the child witness, made pursuant to section 6, may be proved.
Examination of child witness through intermediary
(1) Any examination of a child witness may be conducted through the Court or an interpreter or any other person authorized by the Court, acting as an intermediary, for the purposes of this section. (2) The function of an intermediary is to communicate— (a) to the child witness, questions put to the child witness; and (b) to any person asking such questions, the answers given by the child witness in reply to them, and to explain such questions or answers so far as necessary to enable them to be understood by the child witness. (3) An intermediary shall not— (a) prompt the child witness to answer any question; (b) influence the answers of the child witness; or (c) disrupt the questioning of the child witness. (4) An unrepresented accused shall not be entitled to question a child witness directly but may do so through an intermediary.
Adults accompanying child witness
(1) The Court may allow a child witness to be accompanied by an adult while giving evidence in any proceedings. (2) The Court may permit more than one adult to accompany the child witness if the Court considers it in the interests of justice to do so. (3) An adult accompanying the child witness shall not— (a) prompt the child witness to answer any question; (b) influence the answers of the child witness; or (c) disrupt the questioning of the child witness.
Formal attire may be dispensed with
The Court may direct that the wearing of coats, jackets, gowns or other formal attire of a judge and Court officers to be dispensed with during the giving of evidence by a child witness.
Presumption as to age of child witness
(1) If the Court is in doubt as to the exact age of a child witness, a certificate of a medical officer to the effect that, in his opinion, the child witness has or has not attained a specified age may be given in evidence, and the Court shall declare the age of that child witness for the purposes of this Act. (2) The age of a child witness as declared by the Court under subsection (1) shall be deemed to be the true age of that child witness, unless and until the contrary is proved.
Child witness suffering from a disability
(1) A child witness who is suffering from any disability may, apart from giving his evidence in any manner prescribed in subsection 3(1) or a combination of the manner as prescribed in that subsection, give his evidence in any other manner in which he can make it intelligible. (2) The evidence so given shall be deemed to be oral evidence. (3) In this section, “disability” includes activity limitation resulting from physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness which may be permanent or temporary in nature.
Child witness attaining age of sixteen years while giving evidence during trial
When a child witness is giving evidence before the Court and in the course of giving evidence he attains the age of sixteen years, the Court shall continue to hear the evidence of that child witness and exercise all the powers under this Act.
Restrictions on media reporting and publication
(1) No person shall reveal or publish any particulars in any mass-media or transmit through any electronic medium that may lead to the identification of a child witness, in particular the name and address of the child witness, and the name and other particulars of the educational institution he attends. (2) A picture of the child witness or any other person, place or thing which may lead to the identification of the child witness in the proceedings mentioned in subsection (1) shall not be published in any mass-media or transmit through any electronic medium. (3) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.
Provisions on this page are reproduced verbatim from official open data. See the attribution line.
Source: Laws of Malaysia, Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia (lom.agc.gov.my). Not a copy of the Gazette printed by the Government Printer (Interpretation Acts 1948 and 1967, s 61).