Debated in Parliament on 5 May 2026.
Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) whether the Government adopts any quantitative and qualitative measures to assess the effectiveness of the expanded Child Representative Panel of the Syariah Court; (b) if not, whether such measures will be adopted; and (c) whether parents will have access to reports by the Panel and, if not, why not.
The appointment of a Child Representative (CR) is one of several judicial tools available to the Syariah Court (SYC) to arrive at outcomes that serve the welfare of the child. Through a report submitted to the Court, the CR presents the child's views to the Court and provides insights into the child's relationships with parents and other relevant parties, supporting judges in making decisions that are in the child's best interests.
Since the CR scheme was introduced in November 2023, feedback from the bench has been positive. SYC Judges have indicated that CR reports have been helpful in their deliberations to serve the best interests of children. The expansion of the panel from two to four with effect from April 2026 will further enable the SYC to engage more children across family cases while ensuring a manageable caseload for each CR.
CR reports are not disclosed to parents as confidentiality is essential to their effectiveness. Children whose parents are undergoing divorce are particularly vulnerable and will only speak openly if they feel psychologically safe to do so. If children knew their views might be shared with their parents, they may be deterred from expressing themselves freely, defeating the very purpose of the CR process. Safeguarding this confidentiality ensures that the Court receives the most honest and authentic account of the child's views and needs.
The SYC will continue to review the CR scheme across both the reach of the Panel and the quality of its work in supporting judicial decision-making, to ensure that children's genuine voices continue to be heard and considered in proceedings that affect their lives.
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