PUTRAJAYA, March 10 — A senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya, Farah Nini Dusuki has been appointed as the Children’s Commissioner to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for a three-year term effective last March 8.

The appointment was announced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

In a statement issued here today, Azalina said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had consented to Farah Nini’s appointment in accordance with Section 5 (2) of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999.

"The government hopes that with the appointment of Farah Nini as Children’s Commissioner, various children’s issues that occur in Malaysia will be given more attention to ensure that the basic rights, as well as the safety and well-being of children in our country, are always protected,” she said.

Farah Nini, who has over 30 years of experience in the field of human rights and child law, obtained her doctorate from Cardiff University, Wales, in the United Kingdom in 2002 with a thesis that analysed socio-legal issues to protect children from abuse and neglect.

Her research areas include legislation on criminal justice, child law, adolescent protection in sexual reproductive health issues as well as the implementation and enforcement of children’s rights in Malaysia.

She had previously served at the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, the law faculty at International Islamic University, for 15 years.

On January 18 this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that a Children’s Commissioner had been appointed as a member of the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) in an effort to deal with abuse and social problems involving children and that Azalina would provide details on the matter. — Bernama