Should a child be allowed to give evidence? The position of child evidence under civil and Islamic laws in Malaysia

Mohd Shukri, Muhammad Hafiz and Hassan, Mohd Khairul Hisyam (2014): Should a child be allowed to give evidence? The position of child evidence under civil and Islamic laws in Malaysia.

Abstract

Currently, more children fall victim to crime and go to court to give evidence. The key issues include the acceptability of children as witnesses, the weight to be given to their evidence and whether or not there should be special procedures to ease the stress of giving evidence in court. The main objective of this article is to discuss the position of child evidence under civil and Islamic laws in Malaysia. This article will focus on the provisions of laws relating to evidence given by a child witness and the procedures applicable in Malaysia. This study will ascertain whether or not the current laws are adequate to protect the rights of child as witness in trial based on analysis and evaluation to every aspect which is relevant to this topic. The issue of whether or not a child should be allowed to give evidence in court will also be clarified.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: child evidence; child witness; corroboration; unsworn evidence; Islamic laws
• Subjects: K - Law and Economics > K4 - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior

References

Abdul Muin Abdul Rahman. Witnesses in Islamic Law of Evidence. (Pelanduk Publication: Selangor, 1999) 56.

Al-Marghinani. The Hedaya: Commentary on the Islamic Laws. Trans. C. Hamilton. (Kitab Bhavan: New Delhi, 1982) 222.

Al-Sayyid Sabiq. Fiqh al-Sunnah. 8th edn. (Darul Fadhilah, 1986) 55.

Attan b. Abdul Ghani v P [1970] 2 MLJ 143

Attorney General‟s Chambers. 2011. Human Rights. http://www.agc.gov.my/index.php option=com_content&view=article&id=408&Itemid=334&lang=en [Retrieved on 6 June 2012]

Aziz bin Muhamad Din v Public Prosecutor [1996] 5 MLJ 473, at pg. 484-485.

Brannon, C.L. (1994) The Trauma of Testifying in Court for Child Victims of Sexual Assault v The Accused’s Rights to Confrontation. Law & Psychology Review.439-460, at. 447.

Brennan, M. & BrennanRoslin E. Strange Language: Child Victims Under Cross Examination. 3rd edn. (Riverina Murray Institute of Higher Education: New South Wales, 1988) 71.

Bukhari. Sahih al-Bukhari. Trans. M.M. Khan. 6th edn(Maktabat Al Riyadh Al Hadeethah: Riyadh, 1984) 119.

Ceci, Stephen & Maggie Bruck. Jeopardy in the Courtroom: A Scientific Analysis of Children’s Testimony. (American Psychological Association: Washington DC, 1995) 86.

Chao Chong & Ors v Public Prosecutor [1960] MLJ 238

Curzon, L.B. Law of Evidence. 2nd edn.(Pitman: London, 1986) 15.

Davies, M. Asking the Law Question. (Law Book Company: Sydney, 1994) 78.

Detrick, S.A. Commentary on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (Kluwer Law International:The Hague, 1999) 67.

Director of Public Prosecutions v Hester [1972] 3 ALL ER 1056 at 1059.

El Awa, Mohamed Selim.Punishment in Islamic Law: A Comparative Study. American Trust Publications: Indianapolis, 1982) 69-90.

Evidence Act 1950.

Fivush, R. & Shukat, J. Content, consistency and coherence in young children‟s recall. In. M.S. Zaragoza, J.R. Graham, G.C.N. Hall, R. Hirschman & Y.S. Benporath (Eds.). Memory and testimony in the child witness.(Sage Publications:Thousand Oaks, CA, 1995) 5-23 at 20.

Geoffrey Shannon. Child Law. (Round Hall: Dublin, 1995) 236.

Goodman, G.S. & Helgeson, V.(1985). Child Sexual Assault: Children‟s Memory and The Law.40. University of Miami Law Review.181.

Ibn Rushd, Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Rushd, Al-Qurtubi. Bidayah Al-Mujtahid Wa Nihayah Al-Muqtasid. (Maktabah Al-Kuliyyah al-Azhar:Egypt, 1969) 499.

James Wigmore. Evidence in Trials at Common Law. (Academic Press: Edinburgh, 1997) 123.

Johnson Murray. Preparing Child Witnesses For Court. (The Scottish Office Central Research: Edinburgh, 2001) 77.

Jones, D.P.H. & Krugman, R.D. (1986) “Can A Three-year-old Child Bear Witness To Her Sexual Assault and Attempted Murder?”. Child Abuse and Neglect. Vol. 10. at 253-258.

J.R. Spencer & Rhona H. Flin,The Evidence of Children: The Law and the Psychology. 2nd edn (Blackstone Press: London, 1990) 1.

Judy Cashmore & Kay Bussey. (1996) Judicial Perceptions of Child Witness Competence. 20 Law & Human Behavior, 313-334, at. 328.

Kevin Smith & Steve Tilney. Vulnerable and Child Witnesses. (Oxford University Press: Pennsylvania State University, 2007) 143.

Lim Chee Wee. 2010. Press Release: Time to remove all reservations and sign the Optional Protocols. http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_time_to_remove_all_reservations_and_sign_the_optional_protocols.html [Retrieved on 13 July 2014]

Mahmud Saedon A. Othman. An Introduction to Islamic Law of Evidence. Trans. Raden Ahmad Shauki R. Hisam. 1st edn. (Hizbi Sdn. Bhd: Shah Alam, 1996) 17-19.

McEwan, J. (1988) Child Evidence: More Proposals For Reform. Criminal Law Review. 813-822, at. 813.

McGough, Lucy S. Child Witnesses: Fragile Voices in The American Legal System. (Yale University Press, 1994) 226.

Mst. Rani v The State PLD 1996, Karachi 316.

Myers, John E.B. A Decade of International Reform to Accommodate Child Witnesses. (Sage Publications: New York, 1996) 266.

Nicholas James. Child Witness, Law and Practice. (Columbia University Press: New York, 1990) 14.

Public Prosecutor v Mohammad Terang bin Amit [1999] 5 CLJ 156

Public Prosecutor v Mohd Noor bin Abdullah [1992] 1 CLJ 702

Public Prosecutor v Wong Yee Sen & Ors [1990] 1 MLJ 187, 189 (HC)

R v Baskerville [1916] 2 KB 658

R v Chhoa Mui Sai [1937] MLJ 236

Safwat, Safia M.(1982). Offences and Penalties in Islamic Law. Islamic Quarterly. vol. 26, at 175.

Santosh Roy v State of W.B. [1992] Cr LJ 2493 (Cal)

Saywitz Kent. The Credibility of Child Witnesses. (Academic Press: London, 1989) 100.

Section 39(1) of the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993

Section 3(1) of the Syariah Court Evidence (Federal Territories) Act 1997

Section 83(4) of the Syariah Court Evidence (Federal Territories) Act 1997

Sidek bin Ludan v Public Prosecutor [1995] 3 MLJ 178

Simon Wood. The Preparation of Child Witnesses. (Central Research Unit: Lincoln, 1999) 45.

State of M.P. v Deoki Nandan [1987] Cr LJ 1016

Tajudin bin Salleh v Public Prosecutor [2008] 2 CLJ 745

Tham Kai Yau & Ors v Public Prosecutor [1977] 1 MLJ 174

The Honourable Mr Justice P de Jersey. (1985). “The Inherent Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court”. 15 Queensland Law Society Journal 325, at 330.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, Article 3(1).

Voice of the Children. 2011. Convention on the Rights of the Child: What‟s Happening in Malaysia. http://voc.org.my/blog/blog/2011/12/23/convention-on-the-rights-of-the-child-whats-happening-in-malaysia/ [Retrieved on 5 Mac 2014]

Yap Ee Kong & Anor v Public Prosecutor [1981] 1 MLJ 144

Walker, A.G. Questioning Young Children in Court: A Linguistic Case Study. (Law and Human Behaviour, 1993) 67.

Wan Othman bin Datuk Wan Yusof v Kewangan Utama (M) Bhd 1993] 2 CLJ 572

Whitcomb, D. When The victim Is A Child. 2nd edn. (National Institute of Justice: Washington, D.C, 1992) 103.

Wigmore, James H. Evidence in Trials at Common Law. (Academic Press: Edinburgh, 1997) 123.

Wikipedia. (2012). Islam and Children. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_children [Retrieved on 28 October 2012]

Yusaini bin Mat Adam v PP [1999] 3 MLJ 582

Zakiah Bt. Samori. Qarinah (Circumstantial Evidence) In Adultery (Zina) Case: Analysis on Four Madhab & Provision in Malaysia and Pakistan. Pkukmweb.ukm.my/elaw/images/stories/zakiah.pdf [Retrieved on 30 December 2013].

Zaydan, Abdul Karim. al-Madkhal li al-Dirasat al-Shari’ah al-Islamiyyah. (Muasasah al-Risalah: Amman, 1990) 264.